THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, June 26, 1996 TAG: 9606260433
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B3 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: THE WASHINGTON POST
DATELINE: RICHMOND LENGTH: 35 lines
Democratic challenger Mark R. Warner beat incumbent Republican Sen. John W. Warner Tuesday in their first head-to-head confrontation: a lottery that determined whose name would appear first on the ballot in November.
Ordinarily, no one would pay a moment's notice to the candidates' ballot ranking. But in the all-Warner Senate race, the top position could bring extra votes, some party officials and campaign observers believe.
``Obviously, we're in the superior position, as we expect to be on Election Day,'' said Bert L. Rohrer, spokesman for the state Democratic Party. ``It's good news for Mark Warner.''
Under Virginia law, the ballot will not identify which Warner is the incumbent, or the Republican or the Democrat. And so, some say, the first Warner listed is the one most likely to benefit from any voter confusion.
The State Board of Elections holds the lottery every election cycle, but this one drew unusually heavy attention. Both campaigns sent staff members to observe the proceeding, as did the state Democratic Party.
Board members put the parties' names on white slips of paper, sealed them in small plastic film containers, then swirled them around in a clear, cut-glass candy bowl. The drawing would determine the order of each party's candidates in the presidential, U.S. Senate and U.S. House races.
The first party picked was the Virginia Independence Party, soon to be renamed the Reform Party. The Democrats came in second, followed by the Republicans.
While the Reform Party, organized by Texas billionaire Ross Perot, is set to nominate a presidential candidate in August, it has not filed a Senate nominee, so Mark Warner is assured of the top ballot spot. by CNB