The approved candidates for the May 2020 City Council election ballot will appear at City Hall on Thursday, February 20, at 9:00 AM for the official ballot order drawing. This exercise will determine how the candidates will be listed on the ballot. Since there are only two persons running in each race, each candidate has a 50/50 chance of being listed first on the ballot.
Does it matter? It might. A 2014 study showed that for lower-profile races, there is a measurable difference. Going from last to first on a ballot increased a candidate’s chances by 10% in that study.
However, for the May 2020 ballot, City Council candidates will be the only candidates on the ballot, so perhaps that effect will be muted.
