8 of diamonds is enough: Stamford council candidate wins card drawing

STAMFORD - It was in the cards for Katherine Bushart.

"Honestly, I am a very unlucky person by nature," she said moments before needing a little luck in life. "But I'm not dwelling on that. Whoever's meant to win will win today."

Wearing a Stamford Bulldogs blue dress, she strode in the City Council chambers at City Hall at high noon plus four hours to face down her two opponents.

Each would draw a playing card. The high card would determine the newest member of the Stamford City Counci.

Mayor James Decker - Deck-er, how fitting - explained the rules, saying the high card "will determine the outcome of the race."

It just can't get any more Texas that that.

Decker said the Texas Secretary of State's office advised the city that the tie would be determined by runoff "unless the candidates unanimously agree on another resolution.

They did.

"I want to thank the candidates for the cordiality and collegiality for agreeing to this settlement," Decker said. "Everybody has the best interest of Stamford in mind."

It was agreed that buying a deck of playing cards would be cheaper than having another election. The job fell to the city manager, an unlikely city expense.

Minutes later, the master dealer - aka City Manager Alan Plumlee - spread nine shuffled playing cards face down on a table.

Cards 2 through 10.

"We decided not to put any face cards because we didn't want any arguments on what the ace was," Plumlee said.

Anticipation was building.

This event was so big that a) it was held earlier enough so that Stamford folks could get to Abilene for the baseball and softball playoff games and, b) it was livestreamed by the Stamford Chamber of Commerce.

At least four media outlets also were present, three from Abilene, where elections are not nearly this exciting.

Plumlee showed the candidates the cards, then shuffled them, placed the cards face down in a row.

In the order they were listed on the ballot, Morgan Campbell, Bushart and Jay Webb each drew one, keeping the card face down and not looking at it.

"OK, at this time, pick it up and show us what you have," Plumlee said.

Campbell had picked the 2 of diamonds. Uh-oh.

Webb turned over the 5 of diamonds. Hmm, a little better.

Bushart drew the 8 of diamonds, the high card.

"It looks like the winner is Ms. Bushart," Plumlee said.

The applause was not deafening but congratulatory.

Quicker than you could say card shark, Stamford had a new Place 2 member of the City Council. Terms are for two years in Stamford.

The other six cards were turned over to ensure the election process was valid.

The three residents each received 7 votes to replace councilman Ken Roberson, who previously served the city not once but twice as city manager. He was not in attendance for the playing card shootout.

"Yea," Bushart said, smiling. "This is my first election ever."

That's even counting school.

No election party was planned, she said.

"I'm going to go home and spend time with my boys," she said. They're ages 8 to 14.

"I am sure they're going to be excited."

Bushart does tax preparation and manages accounts for another firm.

"Stamford has had a really positive role in me and my family's lives since moving here, so I wanted to be more involved in the community," she said of why she sought public office.

Her family moved here from New Braunfels two years ago in June, finding the right house in Stamford. That recently was lost in a fire.

"What sold me after we looked at the house was the warm, welcoming community and the family environment," she said.

Before the drama, Campbell said, "All three of us are wanting to serve Stamford. We put it up to the voters until it comes to this. It came down to money and time. We're going to draw to see who wins."

He ran to "get to know the community better."

Campbell, who works for a pipeline company. moved to Stamford from Hawley 10 years ago, he said. "I just thought I'd be more involved. "

He was OK with the card drawing, saying, "It come up to money. "Let's draw to see who wins."

Webb said the seat was open and "I wanted to get on the council and help the city continue to grow and help small business."

A resident of Stamford for about 18 months, Webb is retired from construction and serves as a volunteer firefighter and "couple of other ministries here in town."

Stamford was chosen because it's centrally located to other family. The Webbs moved to Texas from Oregon.

Little did he know how ties can be settled in the Lone Card State.

This article originally appeared on Abilene Reporter-News: 8 of diamonds is enough: Stamford council candidate wins card drawing