The winner of the third seat on the Roanoke Rapids Graded School District Board of Education will probably not be clear until the canvassing of votes next Tuesday, according to the Halifax County Board of Elections.

Incumbents Patrick Qualls and Thomas McDonald each ended the evening with 15.92 percent of the vote, according to unofficial results.

Incumbent Jay Carlisle collected 21.51 percent of the votes to return to office and challenger Cathy Hux Keeter got 19.04 percent of the vote to earn a school board seat.

Board of Elections Supervisor Kristin Scott said this evening the first step to determine the winner of the third seat is to go through provisionals. “We're going to go through what's approved and not approved. Hopefully when approved and the ballots are run through it's going to break that.”

Scott also said the county has until Friday to accept absentee ballots.

Should the provisional or absentee count not break the tie then the outcome, according to state statute, is settled by a method chosen by the state Board of Elections, including the possibility of a coin toss.

The canvas is set for next Tuesday at 11 a.m. at the board of elections office in Halifax.