Turned out his Queen of Diamonds beat out Gregory Thornock's Seven of Clubs.

His prize?

Four years as city councilman in Eureka, a mining community in the Tintic Mountains of Juab County.

Boswell and Thornock had to draw cards after the two ended up with 137 votes in the Eureka general election last month.

Well, they didn't have to draw cards. According to state law, any municipal election ending in a tie must be broken by lot, whatever that may be. They could have flipped a coin or rolled some dice, but they decided to play their hands.

"It's my lucky day, maybe," Boswell said. "I'm relieved just to know."

After the two agreed to draw cards, one councilman, Joseph Bernini, shuffled the deck and another, Klay Allinson - whose seat was up for grabs - cut the deck.

Each candidate decided on a card, and his political fate, then awaited the mayor's call to lay 'em down.

The whole process took less than three minutes.

Afterward, the two shook hands, smiled and went on their way without the slightest bit of contempt.

"I've never played cards," admitted Thornock. "I wasn't sure if I'd won or not."

"I'm just relieved I can get back to finals," added Thornock, a Utah Valley State College history education major.

Boswell and his wife, Janice, have lived in Eureka for their entire lives and the two said they are excited for his chance to serve the city.

The councilman-elect works for EG&G, a contractor with the U.S. government that destroys chemical weapons.

Janice Boswell said she was a little nervous before the ordeal, but added once it was decided they were to draw cards, she knew he had a better chance.

"He's lucky," she said.

Eureka's draw was at least the second election decided by lot this year. Dale Bettridge beat out Jess Askeroth for a Parowan City Council seat two weeks ago when he called heads on a coin flip.

Parowan City Recorder Valorie Topham said, like their Eureka counterparts, Parowan's candidates were just happy the coin flip decision was over.

"The one that didn't win in the end said, 'I'm kind of relieved,' " Topham said.

thollingshead@sltrib.com