Every election night ends with a winner, but a few races end with a number so perfectly even that no recount can fix it. Then officials have to decide who gets the seat.
In many US states, the answer is not a runoff or a judge. Several state laws settle tied races with a coin flip, a drawing of lots, or even a hand of cards.
It sounds like a joke, but it has happened. In 2017, Virginia's 94th House District finished in a dead heat after a recount, and the state had to decide the winner by chance.
Officials pulled names from a ceramic bowl. Republican David Yancey's name came out, and that draw kept his party's one-seat control of the chamber. It also helped decide who held power in Richmond.
Other places have gone further. In 2008, a tied city council race in Mississippi was reportedly settled with a poker hand, and similar draws have decided local seats elsewhere.
Tie-breaking methods vary because many ties happen in small local races, where a runoff would cost more than the office is worth. Lawmakers picked chance as the fair option.
So when you vote today, remember that one ballot can matter. In rare races, thousands of votes end up equal, and the winner is picked by luck.
