A municipal election in New Mexico's Torrance County east of Estancia was determined by a game of poker – the third time in ten years that such an election has been determined by a game of chance.
The candidates for the Town Trustee role – Josie Richards and Michelle Dunlap, were tied for votes, and ended the tie by following the rules of election law in New Mexico – which say that the winner of a tie in an election is determined by a game of chance.
The election had been tied at 81 votes each, and the pair agreed to play a single hand of five card stud. Josie Chavez Richards won the hand, with their pair of nines beating Michelle Dunlap's ace, and earning Josie a seat on the town Board of Trustees.
A game of chance was used to decide the Trustee position four years ago, and in 1998 the mayoral seat was also decided using a game of chance. In 1999, a three-way tie for the Edgewood Town Council election was decided using playing cards, with the three candidates drawing cards and the highest card winning – in this case Gary Chemistruck won with the high card being the seven of spades.
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