A Dona Ana County race for a House of Representatives seat is in a dead heat and the winner could be decided in a game of chance.

According to state law, if the race remains a tie, the winner would be decided by lot -- meaning chance. It could be over a game of cards or even the luck of a coin toss.

It's all a fight for the House of Representative District 37 seat between Republican incumbent Terry McMillan and Decmocratic opponent Joanne Ferrary.

The Dona Ana County clerk's office said they both received 6,247 votes exactly.

A panel of five people will ultimately decide how the race will be called if it comes to that includes Dona Ana County party chairwoman Christy French, county Republican party chairman Russell Allen, both candidates and a district court judge.

"I'm thinking that we should have a single hand of five car stud," McMillan said.

But Ferrary had her own suggestion.

"I think it would be great to have a closest to the pin, you know a golf match," Ferrary said.

"No way," McMillan laughed when told about the suggestion. "I play golf occasionally, but I've heard she plays quite a bit. How about one on one basketball?"

All jokes aside, the likelihood of the race being decided by such a measure is more than reasonable.

A recount Dec. 3 will decide whether the race is really tied and if the number comes out even again, then the decided upon method will need to take place.

"I'm hoping it doesn't come down to that with the recount maybe we can get a few more votes and then it would be decided by the voters," Ferrary said.

McMillan said that he feels a recount showing the results in favor of one candidate could bring up unwanted skepticism of the results by voters or even the candidates.

"I would almost prefer that it come out even again so we can then have a 50/50 chance each."