Nevada's White Pine County has a new county commissioner in an election settled by the luck of the draw.
Robert Swetich and Raymond Urrizaga each received 1,847 votes in Tuesday's general election. Under the law in this gambling state, tied elections can be settled by lot.
After the election was certified by the commission Thursday morning, the two settled over a shuffled and fanned deck of cards.
Urrizaga drew first. Queen of clubs. Swetich pulled a seven of diamonds, then offered his congratulations to the winner.
A high-card draw also decided a tie two years ago for Esmeralda County Commission. That time, RJ Gillum and Dolores "Dee" Honeycutt each drew a jack, but Gillum's jack of spades beat Honeycutt's jack of diamonds by suit order.
(Copyright 2004 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
