Contra Consta County decides election — with a roll of the dice

MARTINEZ >> In a scene harkening back to the days of the Wild West, a Contra Costa County election was decided Friday morning — with a roll of the dice.

The unusual tie breaker marked a first for the Contra Costa County elections office — and a first in the 100-yearhistory of the irrigation district. The county elections office streamed the event on Facebook Live.

At 11 a.m., incumbent Larry Enos and challenger Milan “Pete” Petrovich took turns rolling a 20-side die — taken from someone’s Dungeons and Dragons board game — three times for the Byron-Bethany Irrigation District Director 1 contest.

Enos won on the third roll, with 51 points, defeating Petrovich, who ended up with 45 points.

“This is a little different — not what I expected,” said a calm and happy Enos, who was re-elected to his third term on the irrigation district board. “Every vote counts. I was expecting a coin toss.”

Petrovich walked out immediately after the third roll, but said before the tie breaker, “When I’m done, I’m leaving — win or lose. I won’t have to worry about it. I think this is funny myself.”

The dice roll was decided as the method by the county and irrigation district earlier this week after Enos and Petrovich ended up in a tie with 51 votes each.

Contra Costa County Assistant Registrar of Voters Scott Konopasek said the county’s election code doesn’t specify how to break a tie — whether it’s by drawing cards, rolling dice, flipping a coin or the classic game of rock, paper, scissors.

There are only 147 eligible voters for the Byron-Bethany Irrigation District Director 1, according to Paul Burgarino of the Contra Costa County elections department.

The Byron-Bethany Irrigation District is a special district serving parts of Alameda, Contra Costa and San Joaquin counties across 47 square miles and 30,000 acres, according to its website.