Drawing of lots results in new mayor for Village of Lytton
Published 4:01 pm Tuesday, October 27, 2026
The Village of Lytton has a new mayor, after a judicial recount confirmed a tied vote for that position and the decision came down to the drawing of lots.
Jennifer Thoss has been confirmed as the incoming mayor, after the recount and draw on Tuesday (Oct. 27). She and incumbent mayor Denise O’Connor each received 45 votes in the municipal election held on Oct. 17, and a recount produced the same outcome.
According to CivicInfoBC, there were an estimated 198 eligible voters in Lytton in this election.
“Ties are very rare, and only happen once in a blue moon,” said Shannon Story, chief election officer for the Village of Lytton. “But obviously when you’re dealing with a smaller municipality with smaller numbers, a tie is statistically more possible.”
As per the Village of Lytton’s election procedure bylaw, and in accordance with the Local Government Act, the tie was referred to a judicial recount in Kamloops. When that recount confirmed the tie, the names of the two candidates were placed in a container, and one was drawn.
O’Connor was first elected mayor of the community in 2022, the same year that Thoss was elected for her first term as a councillor there.
Black Press has reached out to both candidates for comment.