LUCK OF THE DRAW: Philadelphia Ballot Positions Have Been Drawn!

Congratulations are due first to the way Supervisor of Elections Tim Dowling, assisted by Joe Lynch and Tom Boland, and supported by Fred Voigt, made an easy event of ballot-position drawing in front of a packed audience of candidates and supporters in City Hall Courtroom 676 yesterday.

Inside a half hour, candidates pulled ballot numbers from the legendary coffee can in use since 1968. Candidates not present had their numbers pulled by Tommy Boland from the can held by Joe Lynch.

In the ballot position for Democratic mayoral race, State Sen. Anthony Williams drew first position, followed by T. Milton Street, Jim Kenney, Douglas Oliver, Nelson Díaz and Lynne Abraham. Republican Melissa Lynn Bailey had no opposition.

For City Commissioners: Democrats – Commission Chair Anthony Clark drew first position, followed by Dennis Lee, Will Mega Ashante, Tracey Gordon, Carol Jenkins, Lisa Deeley, Donna De Rose, Omar Sabir and Commissioner Stephanie Singer. Only Commissioner Al Schmidt was on the Republican ticket, guaranteeing him a return seat after the primary.

For Register of Wills, no opposition was filed against incumbent Register of Wills Democrat Ronald Donatucci and Republican Ross Feinberg.

In race for Sheriff, Democrat incumbent Sheriff Jewell Williams picked the number-one slot over Larry King, Sr. Republican Christopher Sawyer had no opposition.

New faces were lucky in the draw for the five ballot positions in the Council at Large race which drew 21 Democrats and seven Republicans.

For Democratic Council at Large candidates: Former aide to Councilwoman Marian Tasco, Derek Green, pulled first ballot position. Following him were Jenné Ayers, Wilson Alexander, Allan Domb, Thomas Wyatt, Karen Gordon, Carla Cain, Councilwoman Blondell Reynolds Brown, Lillian Ford, Joseph Guerra, Paul Steinke, Barbara Capozzi, Marnie Aument Loughrey, Sherrie Cohen, Councilman Bill Greenlee, Billy Ivery, Helen Gym, Councilman Ed Neilson, Frank Rizzo, Isaiah Thomas and Councilman W. Wilson Goode.

For Republican Council at Large candidates: Councilman David Oh drew first ballot position. He was followed by James Williams, Terrence Tracy, Jr., Daniel Tinney, Councilman Denny O’Brien, Alfred Taubenberger and Matt Wolfe.

Five of the 10 Council Districts have challenges. 1st Dist. incumbent Mark Squilla does not have any challengers from either party. The same is true for Councilman Curtis Jones in the 4th, Council President Darrell Clarke in the 5th, Councilman Bob Henon in the 6th and Councilman Brian O’Neill in the 10th.

In the 2nd Council Dist. Councilman Kenyatta Johnson drew number one, followed by challenger Ori Feibush. The 3rd Dist. found challenger Tony Dfax King drawing number one, followed by incumbent Councilwoman Jannie Blackwell. The 7th District found incumbent Councilwoman Maria Quiñones Sánchez in first place, followed by challenger Manny Morales. In the 8th Dist. challenger Greg Paulmier drew one, followed Councilwoman Cindy Bass; and in the 9th Dist. S. Archye Leacock (blind handicap) drew first ballot position, followed by Bilal Sabriya, and Strate Rep. Cherelle Parker. Republican Kevin Strickland had no opposition.

An early analysis indicates the luck of the Irish had deserted most incumbents.

So the question to be answered is “Is how important are the top positions?” In a race such as this one, odds are against the frontrunners’ garnering more than 15,000 votes because of their nearness to the top. Those voters see the instructions, push five, and do so – usually the top five.

In this primary, the Democratic Party will endorse the majority of its incumbents and, if the majority of ward leaders support that endorsement, ballot position gets wiped away. We see winners needing 25,000 or more votes to win.