VIDEO: Tie Vote in District Election Resolved by the Roll of a Die

Martinez, CA (December 7, 2018) – For the first time in the 100-plus year history of the Byron-Bethany Irrigation District (BBID), a District election was decided by the roll of a die. Larry Enos, Jr., was reelected as BBID Division I Director following a highly unusual election tiebreaking procedure.

BBID Division I Director Larry Enos Jr., left, and challenger Pete Petrovich, right (seated), moments before the election tiebreaker.

The vote between Enos, Jr. and his challenge Pete Petrovich was tied, 51-51, after all of the votes were counted following last month’s election. On Friday, the two candidates joined elections officials at the Contra Costa County Elections Department in Martinez. Enos, Jr. and Petrovich were directed to roll a 20-sided die three times, with the highest combined score as the winner. Enos, Jr. won by a count of 51-45, giving him the deciding margin for his reelection.

The 20-sided die used to break the election tie.

The roll of the die was performed pursuant to California Elections Code 15651, which states in part: If at any election … two or more persons receive an equal and the highest number of votes for an office to be voted for in more than one county, the Secretary of State shall forthwith summon the candidates who have received the tie votes … [and] shall at that time and place determine the tie by lot [lottery].”

The final tally of the election tiebreaker, giving the victory to Larry Enos, Jr.

Elections officials said they could not recall another time in the history of Contra Costa County that a tied special district election had been resolved with the roll of a die.

Enos, Jr. has served on the BBID board for the last seven years, representing Division I in Contra Costa County. As a result of today’s tiebreaker, he will serve another four-year term.

Meanwhile, in BBID Division III in Contra Costa and Alameda Counties, BBID Board Vice President Tim Maggiore ran unopposed and was reelected for another four-year term.