Nearly 1,000 votes weren’t enough to determine the winner of a second seat on the Muskingum Township Board of Trustees in the Nov. 4 general election.

It was a coin flip that awarded the seat to Steven Rech over Gary Doan after the Nov. 12 canvass showed both men received 489 votes, tying for second behind John Jay Huck’s 755.

Because there was a less than 0.5% difference, an automatic recount will be conducted at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday.

Contacted Friday, Rech said he never thought he would win in the manner he did, based on a coin toss, but that’s how it went.

He has never held public office previously, but said he decided to run this time because he wants to serve the community and help Muskingum Township.

While it is not mandatory, Rech hopes to attend the recount on Wednesday.

Contacted Monday, Doan said he plans to attend Wednesday’s recount but does not expect any change in the results.

He was surprised and pleased that both men received as many votes as they did since this was an off-year election.

“It is what it is,” he said of the results.