The tallies in Monday’s East Lansing school district election are in - and voters picked three people to take two open seats on the school board. So much for democracy.

Unofficial results placed attorney Daphne O’Regan in first place with 1,276 votes, but Michigan 4-H leader Randy Bell and MSU communication Professor William Donohue tied with 1,259 votes each. That means, according to state election law, the final decision could come down to a slip of paper grabbed at random from a hat.

Yes, this election could be decided by simple chance, a perplexing method, to be sure, and perhaps frustrating for area voters - or at least the 8.6 percent of them who actually took time to vote. If more people had ventured to the polls, including to the precinct location on MSU’s campus that no one voted at Monday, this would not be necessary.

But here we are with two candidates and an obviously anxious school district awaiting results. It’s good to know our society has moved past the election trouble of 2000.

We hope we’re first to report no hat has been officially picked to act as the tie-breaker.

Debate almost certainly has begun - a derby, perhaps? Or even a sombrero? - being that nothing about elections seems to be simple anymore.

Surely, to enlighten the situation and with a Michigan sports team doing well, a Red Wings’ cap would add a touch of togetherness, lest this whole affair tear apart a community.

Perhaps after this election scandal officials should begin debate about whether the tie-breaking method should be altered to prevent argument about the best person receiving the job. Instead of such a random way, maybe a test of skills or knowledge would prove who would fit the post best.

With guns, knives and other weapons out - no one wants to die to be elected - a duel of wits could best fit the scenario. How about a quiz on public policy, with a few tidbits of pop culture to round out the entertainment factor? Surely the best candidate should not only know the average per-capita income of East Lansing families, but also the title of the second single from Jennifer Lopez’s first album.

Or maybe an endurance trial, a battle of wills that would leave the winner standing and the other thinking that if only he or she had been able to climb that rope or wrestle that bear properly, a win would have been assured.

Or maybe the state needs to look at real election reform and move local elections, such as school board races, to coincide with statewide or national races. If there is more on the ballot for voters to care about, more will be encouraged to find their way to the polls. But for the candidates who put forth the effort and money to participate in this year’s school board election, any changes will come too late. For now, it may be left to complete chance as to which of the two candidates will come out victorious.

Of course, it’s still not too late for an old-fashioned wrestling match - complete with a professional wrestling-style cage.