Coin Toss Determines Winner in Fla. Race
GROVELAND, Fla. – The state that is the king of bizarre election finishes added another page to its quirky electoral history Friday: a city council race decided by a coin toss.
G.P. Sloan, 77, and Richard Flynn, 75, each received 689 votes in the Nov. 2 election. No one emerged a winner after two recounts, so the candidates and three dozen supporters gathered for a coin flip Friday in the community center of this town of 4,400 residents located 25 miles west of Orlando.
The city manager flipped a bicentennial dollar coin, and Flynn shouted “Heads.” City manager Jason Yarborough caught it and flipped it on to the back of his hand. “Tails it is,” Yarborough said, giving Sloan the victory.
This happened last election cycle in Mississippi and as I recall Montana. I guess a coin flip beats pistols at 20 paces.
As a Nevadan…we have our own method…
http://www.cnn.com/2004/US/11/04/high.card.ap/
After finishing Tuesday’s election tied with 1,847 votes each, Robert Swetich and Raymond Urrizaga agreed to draw cards to resolve the deadlocked White Pine County commission race.
Urrizaga drew first, choosing a queen of clubs. His opponent pulled the seven of diamonds, then congratulated the winner.
Can you imagine? The Speaker of the house flipping a coin…Call it in the air Mr. Bush! Heads! Heads it is! Sorry Mr. Kerry, better luick next time!
I think I’d rather have the days of 20 paces, turn, and shoot return. That way we know we have a man (or woman which would really be interesting) who knows how to handle a weapon and really put his ass on the line. Tell ya what… only those who really want the job will run against him next election cycle… wouldn’t that be refreshing.
Of course, today the parties would have their lawyers duel at 20 paces.
Hmmm, maybe we SHOULD bring that back.
Only in America, LOL!!
I’ve heard of settling election ties by coin toss before, but not in Florida. It’s kind of unfair to make fun of the Floridiots — er, I mean Floridians — for using the method.
This happened in my hometown (population 1,300) in western Kansas once. My friend’s dad won mayor by a coin toss to an albino, I shit you not.
The city of Show Low, Arizona was thus named because a land dispute in the learly 1900’s was settled by the cutting of a deck of cards. The main drag is named “Deuce of Clubs”.