Hanging chads and confusing butterfly ballots were not the issue. But when two separate couples - including a lesbian pair - were told last week that they had clinched "the cutest couple" title, things turned ugly.

"We don't know with certainty who won. There are conflicting stories," Martha Kupferschmidt, Murray School District's director of personnel and student services, said Monday. "We're kind of between a rock and a hard place."

She wasn't kidding.

Both sets of supposed winners raised eyebrows for different reasons. Naming a same-sex pair "cutest couple" was unprecedented. And the other couple included a junior - a potential glitch for a senior yearbook page.

The story goes that yearbook student staffers weren't on the same page as to who did and didn't qualify. Conflicting leaks of the results led to hours of closed-door meetings, a rash of rumors and even a circulating petition to back the girls.

As of Tuesday, Murray officials were saying Kortni Coats and Taunica Crump, the lesbian couple, had reportedly placed second - a claim some students disputed.

Administrators set out to recount the original ballots, only to learn that those ballots had been tossed.

So, Thursday morning, Murray's approximate 500 seniors were called on to vote again. The verdict later that day: The title goes to the girls.

Bundled against the rain in a their hoodie sweatshirts, Taunica and Kortni, both 18, stood outside the school Thursday afternoon with their arms locked and their grins wide. They were baffled by all the attention, but couldn't contain their giggles, and said they were grateful for the support they'd received - from students, teachers and administrators.

"Even people against it were nice. Even if they didn't agree with it," said Taunica, who first asked out Kortni on July 4.

Heather Johnston, 18, was equally happy and said, with a nod toward her friends, "They are completely open in school. They hold hands and act like any couple should."

But inside the school, some seniors were less than thrilled with the news.

"Knowing two girls want to be in a the yearbook because of their lesbian disorder, that's just sick," said Travis Howland.

Staci Taylor called the mix-up "kind of stupid," and said the ballot specifically asked for a "cutest boy" and a "cutest girl." And although she was less adamant than Travis, she worried about the statement this result might make down the road.

"I don't want my kids to look in my yearbook and see this," she said.

"I grew up knowing [homosexuality] was wrong."

Principal Scott Bushnell, who labeled the brouhaha "an unfortunate mishap" that will help shape future yearbook procedures, stood by his determination "to honor and respect" the vote of students.

And although he anticipates strong reactions from both sides to the latest election results, he said, "We hope everyone respects and supports our responsibility to all students . . . [to treat them] fairly and equitably."

jravitz@sltrib.com