This was forwarded to me today but thought it might amuse y'all because of the similar thread. . .
This story regarding the tight race in New Mexico -- which sounds like it's 130 years out of date -- is from MS/NBC:
In a strange twist, under New Mexico law, a tied result could force Bush and Gore to draw straws or play a hand of poker to settle the race. State law requires that a dead-even race, "the determination as to which of the candidates shall be declared to have been nominated or elected shall be decided by lot."
In practice, the usual method for this rare event has been to play one hand of five-card poker, but the parties can decide on another method. "Whether they want to draw straws, play a hand of five-card stud, or draw a high card, that is totally up to the participants," state elections director Denise Lamb said.
The last time this happened was in December 1999, when Republican Jim Blanq and Democrat Lena Milligan tied at 798 votes each in a local race for magistrate judge. They played one hand of poker in a courthouse with dozens of people watching, and Blanq won. from http://www.msnbc.com/news/487297.asp
Also, somebody on another list was ranting about the interpretation of the results being "To-MAY-Toe vs. To-MAH-Toe", and the obvious response was "No, Tomatina!" http://www.latomatina.com/html/i.htm A good tomato throwing fight _would_ be a pretty appropriate way to resolve this election. You can vote early and often... Attack of the killer tomatoes! Thanks! Bill Bill Stewart, bill.stewart@pobox.com PGP Fingerprint D454 E202 CBC8 40BF 3C85 B884 0ABE 4639
At 12:42 PM -0500 11/16/00, David Honig wrote:
At 04:36 AM 11/16/00 -0500, Bill Stewart wrote:
A good tomato throwing fight _would_ be a pretty appropriate way to resolve this election. You can vote early and often...
Its a shame duelling is passe.
It's sad to see so many otherwise-careful people calling for "flips of a coin," "hands of poker," and "duels at sunrise." Even if meant in jest, as a comment on the situation, it undermines the basic issue of law. --Tim May -- (This .sig file has not been significantly changed since 1992. As the election debacle unfolds, it is time to prepare a new one. Stay tuned.)
At 01:39 PM 11/16/00 -0500, Tim May wrote:
At 12:42 PM -0500 11/16/00, David Honig wrote:
At 04:36 AM 11/16/00 -0500, Bill Stewart wrote:
A good tomato throwing fight _would_ be a pretty appropriate way to resolve this election. You can vote early and often...
Its a shame duelling is passe.
It's sad to see so many otherwise-careful people calling for "flips of a coin," "hands of poker," and "duels at sunrise."
Even if meant in jest, as a comment on the situation, it undermines the basic issue of law.
It was not an endorsement of anything. In a duel, at least you reduce the number of politicians by half. Even fair and lawful elections doesn't do that.
Tim May wrote:
It's sad to see so many otherwise-careful people calling for "flips of a coin," "hands of poker," and "duels at sunrise."
Even if meant in jest, as a comment on the situation, it undermines the basic issue of law.
oh, come on - the whole political theatre is exactly that. so let's give us a little entertainment while the beaurocracy continues to run the country the same way it has for the past 50 or so years.
participants (4)
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Bill Stewart -
David Honig -
Tim May -
Tom Vogt