Lisa Fragala and Doyle Canning ran against one another in the Democratic primary for Oregon House District 8. They also tied in the Republican primary, even though only one was eligible.
Campaign photos
With the flip of a coin, the fate of an Oregon House primary race was decided Thursday morning. But the person who won the coin toss won’t be on the ballot in November.
No Republicans filed for this May’s primary election to replace Eugene-based state Rep. Paul Holvey, who’s leaving the Legislature after 20 years.
And the two candidates who got the most write-in votes for the Republican nomination — Lisa Fragala and Doyle Canning — were tied, with seven votes each. They are also the two people who ran for the Democratic nomination.
Related: After surviving recall attempt, Oregon Rep. Paul Holvey quits anyway
So state election deputy director Luke Belant flipped a coin to pick the winner. A proxy who attended on behalf of Fragala called heads as the quarter spun in the air.
“It appears the coin has landed as tails,” Belant observed.
Canning won the toss. But under Oregon’s “Sore Loser” law, if somebody loses a primary election for one party, they aren’t allowed to be on the general election ballot for any other party, and since Canning lost in the Democratic primary, she’s not allowed to be the Republican nominee.
The quarter used to determine the outcome of Oregon House District 8's Republican primary, along with election paperwork, in a photo provided by the Oregon Secretary of State's office on June 27, 2024.
Courtesy of Oregon Secretary of State's Office
That means Fragala, who won the Democratic primary, will be the only person on the November ballot — for now. Republicans could still call a precinct convention to nominate someone for state House District 8.
Ties in elections are unusual. The last coin flip to determine a state legislative primary winner was in 2016.