On January 4, people across Virginia watched as the results of an important state election were decided in an unusual way. With news cameras rolling, an election official reached into a bowl, pulled out a name, and announced the winner.
The drawing was the culmination of a two-month battle in a neck-and-neck race between Republican
Pulling names out of a bowl may sound strange, but the results of the tiebreaker had serious consequences. In determining the winner of the race, more was at stake than just one seat—party control of the Virginia House was on the line.
Yancey’s win allows Republicans to maintain a narrow 51-49 majority in the House—crucial to the party after a recent wave of Democratic wins in the
“I’ve never had as many conversations with people who are thankful that they voted—or are really upset that they didn’t—than I’ve had since this particular tied election,” Kidd says of the Virginia race. “It really does drive home the [idea] that every vote counts.”