Thake elected after clamorous tie with Graziella Galea

David Thake has been elected on the twelfth district and will be taking up his seat in Parliament as a PN MP after a clamorous casual election where he obtained the same number of votes as Graziella Galea.

Galea and Thake each inherited 1,877 votes from Simon Busuttil. However, after a deliberation between the Electoral Commission and representatives from the PN and PL, it was agreed that Galea would be eliminated since Thake obtained more first-count votes than her.

Thake, a radio host, got 1,654 first-count votes today, which Galea, the former mayor of St Paul’s Bay, got 1,323. However, both achieved the same total of 1,877, in what was a historic first.

The two dubious votes which the PN Electoral Commission has to decide on

Following a discussion, it was decided to consider first-count votes, which means that Thake will be co-opted to Parliament as a PN MP to take the seat vacated by Busuttil.

Earlier

Galea and Thake emerged as the front runners to inherit the votes of the Nationalist Party’s former leader. The casual election was needed after Busuttil resigned his parliamentary seat to take up a senior post with the European People’s Party in Brussels.

But for veteran election observers, the perfect tie between Galea and Thake was a historic occasion.

The casual election of the 12th District saw five nominees battle it out, but it was clear from the get-go that Thake and Galea were at the front of the race.

In the race on the ninth district, entrepreneur Ivan Bartolo led the race with 1,069 first-count votes to Swieqi Mayor, Noel's Muscat's 816 first-count votes. Bartolo achieved a total of 2,206 votes.

Bartolo, who started a petition last year to oust Delia, has taken Marthese Portelli's vacant parliamentary seat.

The petition last June led to a vote of confidence in the PN leader, who he won by 67.5% of the vote.

Bartolo didn't rule out vying for leader himself.

In comments to the media after the casual election result was announced in Naxxar, Thake said: "This is not an issue of single people. We are a team and as a team we need to work together to be a viable alternative."

Bartolo refused to address his criticism of Delia and thanked Portelli for her work and the voters who got him elected.