by BRAD ROLLINS
Managing Editor

Thirty-two military ballots cast in this week’s San Marcos city election will determine whether home builder Ryan Thomason and Texas State University academic advisor Lisa Marie Coppoletta are headed for a runoff election in December.

San Marcos City Clerk Sherry Mashburn said she and other officials will count the ballots on Monday, the deadline for their arrival from armed services personnel serving out-of-state or overseas. Thomason needs a net gain of three votes to win a majority in the Place 5 contest.

Hays County Elections Administrator Joyce Cowan told Mashburn there are 32 ballots yet to be received, Mashburn said. Cowan could not be immediately reached this afternoon but a member of her staff confirmed the number.

The planning and zoning commission vice chair won 960 votes, or 49.9 percent, to Coppoletta’s 504 votes, 26.2 percent. Aviation business owner Shaune C. Maycock came in third with 460 votes, 23.9 percent.

The city council will canvass the election results on Nov. 15 when council member John Thomaides will be sworn to a third full term after winning 1,228 of 1,924 cast, nearly 64 percent, against two challengers.

If Thomason’s vote total remains below a majority on Nov. 15, the council will call a runoff election which the city charter requires be held no earlier than 20 days and no later than 45 days after the general election. That puts a runoff sometime in the time frame of Dec. 6 to Dec. 31, Mashburn said. State statutes, like an early voting period requirement, narrow that window as well.

RELATED IN THE MERCURY:

• Thomaides wins easily; Thomason headed to runoff with Coppoletta | November 3, 2009
• Thomason, Coppoletta will spar in December runoff | November 18, 2009
• Student candidate drops out of San Marcos council race | September 16, 2009
• Narvaiz keeps majority in provisional vote tally | November 10, 2008
• Thomason elected to San Marcos City Council | December 15, 2009