What happens if there is a tie in a national election?

If there is a tie in a national election, the process that follows the election can vary depending on the state. In Virginia, the state board of elections is responsible for resolving ties in national elections. If the election results in a tie, the board of elections must certify the results and send the results to the governor. The governor must then declare a winner. Virginia law requires a coin toss to decide a tied national election. On the day of the coin toss, the candidates may be present in person or represented by an agent. Before the coin is tossed, each candidate is given the option to choose heads or tails. The candidate that chooses correctly is declared the winner of the election. In other states, a run-off election may be held. A run-off election is when the candidates in the tied election compete in a second election. The candidate with the most votes in the run-off election is declared the winner. No matter the state, it is important to note that a tied national election is an extremely rare occurrence. In most elections, one candidate will emerge as the clear winner despite how close the election may have been.

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