Ballot Position Selection Day With the Coffee Can of Destiny
Tim Dowling with the Horn & Hardart can | Photo Credit: Holly Otterbein
As we told you this morning, today is Coffee Can Day in Philly politics: the day when candidates’ primary ballot positions are determined by the luck of the draw, specifically, the luck of bingo balls drawn from a Horn & Hardart coffee can.
Citified’s Patrick Kerkstra was on the scene, live-tweeting the whims of the most powerful coffee can in Philadelphia.
Lynne Abraham draws first. She gets number six. Not a strong number. #PHL2015
— Citified (@citifiedPHL) March 18, 2015
Anthony Williams doesn’t draw so civil service worker does it for him. Ball turns up #1
— Citified (@citifiedPHL) March 18, 2015
Nelson Diaz gets number five.
— Citified (@citifiedPHL) March 18, 2015
Kenney gets three, Oliver gets five, Milton Street #2
— Citified (@citifiedPHL) March 18, 2015
Correction: Oliver draws #4 spot.#phl2015
— Citified (@citifiedPHL) March 18, 2015
On to the City Commissioners #phl2015
— Citified (@citifiedPHL) March 18, 2015
Stephanie Singer’s re-election campaign just took a hit. She drew ball #9
— Citified (@citifiedPHL) March 18, 2015
Anthony Clark drew #1. Not that he needed the help. #phl2015
— Citified (@citifiedPHL) March 18, 2015
The drawing is taking place in courtroom 676 on the sixth floor of City Hall. Relatively staid scene so far. #phl2015
— Citified (@citifiedPHL) March 18, 2015
High stakes drawing up next: at-large council ballot position. #PHL2015
— Citified (@citifiedPHL) March 18, 2015
Frank Rizzo draws #19. Rough draw. #PHL2015
— Citified (@citifiedPHL) March 18, 2015
Ed Neilson’s son draws for him. He picks #18. Really rough draw for the incumbent.
— Citified (@citifiedPHL) March 18, 2015
Wow Wilson Goode just drew #21. #PHL2015
— Citified (@citifiedPHL) March 18, 2015
Blondell Reynolds Brown draws #8. Not terrible. But not great.
— Citified (@citifiedPHL) March 18, 2015
Derek Green just got a huge boost. #1 drawing. Wow.
— Citified (@citifiedPHL) March 18, 2015
Thomas Wyatt draws #5. Good draw. #PHL2015
— Citified (@citifiedPHL) March 18, 2015
Bill Greenlee draws #15. Rough draws for the incumbents. #phl2015
— Citified (@citifiedPHL) March 18, 2015
Paul Steinke gets #11. #PHL2015
— Citified (@citifiedPHL) March 18, 2015
Isaiah Thomas has a terrible draw. #20. #PHL2015
— Citified (@citifiedPHL) March 18, 2015
Barbara Capozzi draws 12.
— Citified (@citifiedPHL) March 18, 2015
Sherrie Cohen draws 14. #PHL2015
— Citified (@citifiedPHL) March 18, 2015
Helen Gym’s ballot position? A rough #17. #PHL2015
— Citified (@citifiedPHL) March 18, 2015
Marnie Aument #13
— Citified (@citifiedPHL) March 18, 2015
Allan Domb draws #4 from the Coffee Can of Destiny. Big boost for him. #PHL2015
— Citified (@citifiedPHL) March 18, 2015
Billy Ivory gets #16.
— Citified (@citifiedPHL) March 18, 2015
There is some nuance to the selection process. A bad # can turn out ok when laid out on the ballot depending on how rows line up. #PHL2015
— Citified (@citifiedPHL) March 18, 2015
Now the GOP council at-large selection. Denny O’Brien gets #5. #PHL2015
— Citified (@citifiedPHL) March 18, 2015
GOP at-large incumbent David Oh draws #1. A real help for a vulnerable incumbent. #PHL2015
— Citified (@citifiedPHL) March 18, 2015
On to district council. Position really a non-factor in these races given the small # of candidates. #PHL2015
— Citified (@citifiedPHL) March 18, 2015
Kenyatta Johnson draws #1, Feibush gets #2. #PHL2015
— Citified (@citifiedPHL) March 18, 2015
Cherelle Parker, Tasco’s heir apparent, draws #3 in the 8th district. #PHL2015
— Citified (@citifiedPHL) March 18, 2015
Its job done, the Horn & Hardart coffee can is escorted from courtroom by honor guard, drum line & 100 chanting holy men w/ incense #PHL2015
— Citified (@citifiedPHL) March 18, 2015