ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – The fight for New Mexico’s five electoral votes is so close between Al Gore and George W. Bush, it could come down to the luck of the draw – literally.

A little-known, rarely exercised provision of New Mexico’s state constitution calls for ties to be settled by a game of chance.

That one-in-a-million statute looms over a race that’s separated by a handful of votes.

While there have been no statewide elections ever settled this way, election officials said yesterday, some local ballots have actually come down to a coin flip, high-card draw or a single game of poker.

The most recent example of heads-or-tails politics came last year when Gary Chemistruck won a seat on the Edgewood Town Council by drawing a 7 of spades, while his two rivals drew a 2 of diamonds and 4 of diamonds.

There had been a three-way tie for the town council seat, with each candidate garnering 55 votes.

In 1988, James Farrington took the mayor’s race in Estancia by winning a single hand of poker. He drew to an ace-high flush.

“It’s hardly likely we’ll get Al Gore and George W. Bush back here for one hand of five-card stud,” said Denise Lamb, director of the state Bureau of Elections. “But if there is a tie, it’s supposed to be settled ‘by lot,’ a game of chance, agreed to by the two candidates.”

Bush led Gore by a four-vote margin entering yesterday.

The Texas governor had an unofficial lead of 285,644 to 285,640, according to the secretary of state’s office.

A county-by-county count by The Associated Press showed Bush leading Gore by 17 votes, 285,764 to 285,747.

Each of New Mexico’s 33 counties are expected to make preliminary reports on Friday, before state official finalize results on Nov. 28.

At that point, either candidate can apply for a recount.