Control of Virginia's House of Delegates could come down to drawing straws

A three-judge panel in Virginia decided Wednesday to count a ballot cast for a Republican in a race for the state’s House of Delegates that was decided by just one vote, meaning the contest is now a tie.

A recount completed Tuesday determined Democrat Shelly Simonds had defeated Republican incumbent David Yancey by just one vote. The race is being closely watched because control of the Virginia House of Delegates hinges on its outcome.

Judges on the Newport News Circuit Court determined Wednesday that a ballot on which the voter had marked the bubbles for both Yancey and Simonds, and then tried to clarify which one, should have been counted for Yancey rather than discarded during the recount.

According to a provision in a Virginia law, a general assembly race that results in a tie is decided by the State Board of Elections determining a winner “by lot” ― meaning the winner is selected through a process like picking names out of a hat, drawing straws or flipping a coin. This means that control of the House of Delegates could hinge on a process that leaves the outcome up to chance.

If Simonds wins, the House of Delegates will be split 50-50 between Republicans and Democrats. If Yancey wins, Republicans will have a 51-49 majority in the chamber.

Republicans have controlled the Virginia House of Delegates for 17 years.

• This article originally appeared on HuffPost.