The seven of diamonds has secured Seth Schrenzel his full-term seat on the Gerlach General Improvement District board.
The Washoe County Registrar of Voters held the high card draw Wednesday morning to break a tie vote between him and Carl Copek.
Schrenzel and Copek both received 67 votes in the 2024 GGID race, tying for third place in a race that needed three candidates for full, four-year terms, and one candidate to fulfill a two-year term following a board vacancy. As the drawer of the losing card, the five of clubs, Copek will take the two-year term, giving up his seat next year, with the option to rerun in the 2026 election.
It’s an old Nevada law that dictates what happens in a general election tie vote. State lawmakers typically break ties for larger, state-wide races, but tie votes in certain local elections are determined “by lot,” traditionally referring to a card draw.
Despite his low card, Copek appeared in good spirits after the event. He announced his candidacy almost immediately, saying he’ll rerun for his current board seat next year.
Original Story, Nov. 4, 2024
The Washoe County Registrar of Voters will fan out a deck of cards for two 2024 election candidates on Wednesday, and whoever draws the high card will win a full term on the local governing body in Gerlach, a remote town of about 100 residents, perhaps best known as the last stop on the road to the Burning Man festival.
It’s a spectacle that’s sparked some humor between the candidates, Carl Copek and Seth Schrenzel. The pair tied for third place in the 2024 Gerlach General Improvement District race, with 67 votes each.
“My initial recommendation was that we took 10 steps and attempt to shoot each other. But realizing that probably wasn’t going to fly, I think probably the next best thing is a high card draw,” Schrenzel joked with 2 News Nevada on Monday. “It is probably the most Nevada thing ever.”
Both Copek and Schrenzel are currently serving on GGID. The card draw will determine who serves out a full four-year term, and who serves only a half-term of two years, filling a vacancy on the board.
Copek is in equally good spirits, saying he’s happy for the attention that the rare tie-vote has brought to the town.
“Seth and I are good friends, neighbors, and colleagues on the board, and that this would be settled in the manner that would attract news is all well and good,” he said. “Anything that brings light to Gerlach is a positive development in the town of Gerlach.”
The tie vote is a relatively rare happening for Washoe County, according to the registrar’s office. Staff who parsed through almost 20 years of election data across Reno, Sparks, and outlying areas told 2 News Nevada that they could count on one hand the number of times a vote resulted in a tie – all of which were smaller races with fewer voters eligible to cast ballots.
The 2024 GGID race in Gerlach had just 335 total votes cast, and residents were allowed to vote for four candidates.
Under Nevada statute, state lawmakers typically break tie votes for larger, statewide races, but tie votes in certain local elections are determined “by lot,” traditionally referring to a card draw.
Longtime Gerlach locals told 2 News Nevada that they’re excited to see the tiebreaker event play out, especially because it’s a win-win situation for the town.
“Between Carl and Seth, as a community, we have kind of an embarrassment of riches. They’re both very conscientious members of the town,” said Jason Walters, a resident of 20 years. “Gerlach does not lose no matter who wins.”
