The adage that every vote count was never more evident than it was in the recent primary election. District 11 incumbent Jerry Stone retained his seat with 222 votes, however, fellow incumbent Paul Freels and challenger Cecil Ray tied with 207 votes each.

The election, which happened two days after the area was hit with historic flooding, and District 11 is situated in one of the hardest hit areas, which may have accounted for the low voter turnout according to Sumner County Republican Party President, Bob Pospisil.

“They election was not postponed because the election commission believed that all polls were accessible,” said Pospisil. “But just because they were accessible doesn’t mean the voters could get out of their homes and get to the polls. Sure the polls were open, but could people get there?”

The next step in determining whether Ray or Freels will win the seat will be an interview with the party’s executive committee.

“We will choose a day and ask each of them to come and speak to the executive committees about why he should be the Republican candidate on the ballot,” said Pospisil. “After hearing each of them speak, we will vote on it and choose the candidate.”

For Pospisil, the tie vote underscores the importance of every person voting when election time arrives.

“It just reinforces what we have heard all of our lives,” he said. “Every vote really does count.”