Nate Bell

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By Jason ArmestoBBC News, Washington

An election in a small Wisconsin town came down to a literal roll of the dice.

After Rob Zoschke and Nate Bell received 256 votes each to be The Sister Bay Village Board president, The Race went to a tiebreaker.

Village clerk Heidi Teich told the candidates the election will be settled via a game of chance as per The State election code.

The dice rolled 6-2 in Mr Bell's favour knocking out incumbent Mr Zoschke.

" It's drawn a lot of interest because it's such an unusual thing, " Ms Teich told The Bbc . " For it to be settled with a children's game is kind of unique. "

After voting ended, The Village clerk sent an image of The Final tally to both candidates.

" Am I seeing this right?, " Mr Bell remembers thinking upon seeing the 256-256 count.

A dice roll was but one of the options a three-member board of canvassers considered.

Pulling names from a hat, cutting a deck of cards, drawing straws, or flipping a coin were among The Other possibilities.

But the canvassers ultimately decided a dice roll was the fairest method.

" They felt that if you flip a coin and a candidate calls one side, The Other candidate has no option but to take The Other side, " Ms Teich said. " In a dice roll, both get to participate in some manner. "

Neither candidate was able to attend the roll In Person , so two canvassers rolled in their stead. Mr Zoschke watched the odd event via Zoom.

Half a dozen supporters reached out to Mr Zoschke lamenting The Loss . One regretted that their teenage daughter was unable to cast a ballot due to an out-of-town doctor's appointment. Another could not get off work before the polls closed.

" But I have To Believe my opponent received the same calls, " Mr Zoschke said in his friendly Wisconsin accent.

He Said he had no antipathy toward The Process . He did, however, note that 78 voters curiously chose not to select either candidate.

Mr Zoschke has no intention of asking for a recount.

" I don't get hung up on a vote here or a vote there because there were still 256 people that voted for The Other guy, " He Said . " I'm At Peace . "

Mr Bell asked to keep the dice as a souvenir and reminder of life's unpredictability.

" It's too soon now, but I hope someday Rob and I can get together and have some charity event rolling dice off, " Mr Bell told The Bbc .

Best known for being home to a marina and a restaurant with goats on its sodded roof, the tie is one of the more exciting things to happen in the little town of 1,160 near The Canadian border.

" I never would have dreamed we'd get this much attention up here, " Ms Teich said.

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Source of news: bbc.com