Dodge City Commissioner Wins By The Luck Of The Draw

A Dodge City official has won re-election after his name was drawn from a hat.

A canvass of votes in last week’s elections showed City Commissioner Kent Smoll and challenger Joe Peters with 424 votes each.

On Monday, both names were placed in a red baseball cap, and a Ford County employee drew Smoll’s name. Peters is a businessman and part-time sheriff’s deputy, and several other officials – including a fellow deputy – passed on the responsibility of picking the winner.

Smoll will serve a two-year term on the city commission. Incumbent Rick Sowers was also re-elected, and voters chose former Kansas House member Jan Scoggins for the third seat at stake.