Bellevue Councilwoman Jane Braunlich lost her bid for re-election in a lottery today that gave the seat to challenger David Piet.

The lottery was held to resolve a tie vote created when a misplaced and uncounted absentee ballot was reported to the county nearly a week after the election.

On Nov. 18, more than two weeks after the General Election, Ms. Braunlich called the Allegheny County Elections Bureau to make sure she had defeated her challenger, 210 votes to 209 votes.

She was informed, however, the vote was a tie -- both candidates had received 210 votes.

Ms. Braunlich, a Democrat, said she was told a local judge of elections had discovered an unopened absentee ballot six days after the election. The vote was for Mr. Piet, a Republican, so Ms. Braunlich hired an attorney to contest counting the ballot as part of the vote tally.

The matter was heard Wednesday by Common Pleas Judge Joseph James, who approved counting the vote.

As a result, the two candidates had to draw numbers before the county Elections Board today, with the seat going to the holder of the highest number. That turned out to be Mr. Piet.

Ms. Braunlich said she is disappointed with the result.

"The judge left it in our hands to prove fraud ... I don't like how they handled it," she said. "We should have been notified as soon as the ballot was found. David and I both had a right to see that absentee ballot and to challenge it."

Ms. Braunlich is finishing her third year on council. She was appointed to replace former councilman Robert Klauser, and was elected to council in 2007 for a two-year term.

The circumstances in the election aren't unique, according to David Voye, manager of balloting and return sections for Allegheny County Division of Elections.

"It is uncommon for the lost ballot to result in a tie," Mr. Voye said. "It was a human error."

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