Whenever the Governor or the board of canvassers of a county is to declare the result of an election, and it appears to him or them that two or more of the persons voted for have received the highest and equal number of votes for the same office, so that the election to the office is not decided by the returns, he, or they, being required to declare the result, shall decide the tie by the election of one of such persons, but in the event the board of canvassers shall have failed to decide the tie within thirty days after such tie shall have been found by them to exist, upon application to the Governor by any one of such persons so voted for, he shall break the tie by the selection of one of such persons and shall certify his choice to such board of canvassers and declare such person duly elected for the office for which such person was a candidate.
West Virginia Legal Code