High card draw settles tied election

By Cy Ryan

Monday, Dec. 20, 2010 | 5:15 p.m.

CARSON CITY – An eight of hearts in a card draw has given Eureka County Clerk-Treasurer Jackie Berg another four years in office.

Berg, a member of the Independent American Party, and Carrie Wright, who formerly worked in the clerk-treasurer’s office, both polled 373 votes in the November election.

So the election was decided by a draw of the cards. Before a packed room Monday, Wright drew a three of hearts.

“It was very low key,” said Recorder-Auditor Mike Rebaleati. “The card draw didn’t take more than ten minutes.”

There were four sealed decks of cards. Berg and Wright each eliminated one and County Commission Lenny Fiorenze tossed out the third. Elleny Mentaberry, manager of the Owl Club in Eureka, removed the joker from the remaining deck and then shuffled and fanned the cards.

Rebaleati said Wright selected the first card and kept it face down. Berg drew her card and showed it face up. Then Wright turned over her three of hearts and the contest was over.

There were no outbursts after the card draw, said Rebaleati.

This is the third card draw due to a tie election in November. The others were in a Kingsbury Grade General Improvement District in Douglas County and in a Nye County GOP primary race for county commissioner.