After the vote count was finally settled in May, the candidates squared off in judges' chambers, each seeking the winner-take-all outcome, with the challenger emerging victorious.
Franken vs Coleman? Minnesota Senate Race 2008-09?
Sadly, no. Instead it was incumbent Thomas McGuire and challenger Adam Trenk. The election for the last town council seat in tiny Cave Creek, Arizona, ended in a literal tie -- 660 votes each. Cave Creek, Arizona, population 4951, is 30 miles north of central Phoenix, near Carefree, AZ.
Arizona law mandates that the winner be settled by a game of chance. The two decided to draw cards, high card winning. Trenk, the challenger, won by drawing the king of hearts to McGuire's six of hearts.
Did the incumbent whine, moan and accuse the election system of being biased and rigged, as did a certain former senator? No, he took it graciously.
"It's not something I'm going to dwell on; this is how system works," McGuire said. "I'm looking forward to (a) brighter future for this community.
Norm Coleman could take some lessons from McGuire.
Cave Creek was in the news four years ago because of the huge Tonto National Forest fire in the area in 2005:
The Cave Creek Complex fire burned 248,310 acres, making it the largest fire ever recorded in the Sonoran Desert.
KPHO-TV reported on this week's high drama:
According to Arizona state law, if an election is deadlocked the winner must be decided "by lot," also referred to as a game of chance.
Incumbent Thomas McGuire and challenger Adam Trenk had the option to flip a coin, roll dice or draw straws. They opted instead to play a card game. Whoever picked the highest card would win.
McGuire and Trenk gathered around a judge inside Cave Creek's council chambers Monday to draw from a deck of cards and determine who would become the next council member.
McGuire went first and drew a six of hearts. Trenk went next and drew a king, making him the winner.
"In an ideal world we'd have had another run-off, but this is what the state Legislature mandates," Trenk said. "I'm happy with (the) result. A king of hearts is pretty good."