JACKSON, Miss., Nov. 21 (UPI) — The race for a Mississippi state House seat was decided by drawing straws Friday as an official tiebreaker after a deadlocked election.
Democrat Blaine Eaton, a 20-year incumbent in the state House, drew the longer straw against Republican challenger Mark Tullos after an improbable tie — each receiving exactly 4,589 votes — for the House District 79 seat.
While many local municipalities and states rely on games of chance to handle tiebreakers, this was particularly crucial to how the House proceeds. If Tullos had won, Republicans would have gained a three-fifths majority in the House, required to pass revenue-related bills.
An attorney for Tullos said a challenge has been filed with the State House of Representatives. Tullos has raised concerns about how a county election board handled nine paper “affidavit ballots” filed by voters who think their names were left off voter rolls.
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