County certifies election results; Ronan race remains deadlocked

Lake County officials wrapped up the Nov. 2 election this week by certifying results.

Elections officials held their canvass with county commissioners on Nov. 10. Among results shared with commissioners was a dead heat in the race for the Ronan City Council’s Ward 1 seat between incumbent Marilynn Tanner and challenger Ryan Corum. Each candidate received 68 votes in the unofficial tally, which triggered an automatic recount. That recount took place Monday, and the results remained the same.

Election Administrator Toni Kramer said there was one undervote cast in Ward 1, meaning one elector voted for city judge and/or mayor but left the Ward 1 question blank.

Certification of results took place after the recount Monday. County officials said state law requires the affected governing body to determine a winner in the event of a tie. Members of the Ronan City Council have not indicated how that determination will be made. Options include a vote by sitting members or possibly a coin flip or some other mechanism of chance.

Tanner is a retired educator with 20 years of experience in the classroom and 19-plus years as an administrator. She lived in Ronan for 20 years before moving to work at a middle school in Wyoming, and has lived here another 26 years since returning.

Corum has lived in Ronan for a total of 30 years. He grew up there and graduated from Ronan High School. He returned home in 2019. While away, he earned a bachelor’s degree in general studies with an emphasis on history/political science from Idaho State University.