Hermitage is not exactly the Wild West, but William E. Finzel was more lucky on the draw than Tim Ruffo in the showdown for a Hermitage commissioner seat.

The men tied for third in the Nov. 3 election, requiring Mercer County election officials to cast lots to determine the winner.

Finzel, who got to go first by virtue of alphabetical order, stuck his hand into an American flag-decorated bag and pulled out a yellow ping pong ball with a number “1” on it, giving him the seat.

Ruffo plucked the “2” ball afterward, although everyone knew there was only one ball left.

Ruffo, a Democrat, put his hand on Finzel’s shoulder, grabbed Finzel’s hand to shake it and offered “Congratulations.”

“Tim is a good man,” Finzel, a Republican, said after the draw. “We get along really good.”

“It was exciting,” Ruffo said. “I’m a little bit upset that I lost, but I’m happy for Bill. He’s a good guy.”

Finzel, who is completing a four-year term, won a two-year term. Ruffo is completing a two-year term.

“I’ll enjoy it for two more years,” Finzel said.

“I enjoyed the two years I was on the board,” Ruffo said,” and I wish Rhonda (Paglia) the best in her four years. I’m pretty sure she’ll do a good job.”

Finzel joins Republican Rita L. Ferringer and Mrs. Paglia, a Democrat, who won four-year seats. The four top candidates fell within 42 votes of each other.

“It’s a great story about how every vote counts,” said Mercer County Director of Registration and Elections Jeff Greenburg. “It sure is unusual in a race that size to have a tie.”

Finzel said he wasn’t sure about the lot-casting process beforehand, but it turned out to be OK.

Finzel declined to list his priorities for the next term. “I know what I’m going to do, but I’m not going to tell you because you’ll write it,” hequipped.

In other ties broken Friday by the casting of lots: • Coolspring Township auditor — Carol Hackett outdrew J.A. Janzig.