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Ahnatal (dpa / lhe) - After a stalemate in a runoff election in Ahnatal in northern Hesse, the lot will likely decide the new mayor.

In the community with 8,100 inhabitants, both incumbent Michael Aufenanger (CDU) and challenger Stephan Hänes (SPD) got exactly half of the votes with 2106 each.

If the election committee confirms the result on Tuesday, a lot will be drawn in the same meeting, said election officer Dieter Semdner on Monday.

Various media had previously reported on the topic.

How exactly the draw will take place is still unclear.

"I'm in the process of checking that," said Semdner.

The drawing of lots is given by the Hessian municipal code.

There it says: "When determining the applicants for the runoff election and the runoff election, if the number of valid votes is the same, the lot to be drawn by the election officer in the meeting of the election committee will decide."

There is no information on the exact procedure.

In the first ballot at the beginning of November, the result was tight.

Aufenanger received 46.68 percent of the vote, Hänes 45.10.

One candidate from the Greens was far behind.

Because none of the opponents came over 50 percent, there was a runoff.

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According to the state, the case in Hesse is so far unique: "The Hessian Ministry of the Interior and for Sport is not aware of any case in which a direct mayor election was determined by drawing lots," said a ministry spokesman.

The only legal requirement is that the drawing of lots must take place in the meeting of the election committee and that the election officer draws the lot.

This means that no coin toss or the like may take place.

The ministry also points out that the election committee is entitled to correct the preliminary election result.

For example, he can still decide on the validity of votes cast.

So theoretically another election result without a drawing of lots would be conceivable.

Result of the runoff Ahnatal