GOP wins top spot on Cook County ballots in November

The top spots on the Nov. 8 presidential election ballot in Cook County will go to Republican Party candidates, the result of a lottery held Wednesday by Cook County Clerk David Orr.

At 10:30 a.m., Orr and Director of Elections Noah Praetz folded two note cards - with "Democratic" and "Republican" written on them - and stuffed them into separate small translucent bottles. The plastic bottles were dropped into a fish bowl, which Praetz shook before Orr pulled out the first bottle, which contained the Republican card.

Orr then opened the remaining pill bottle, to confirm it contained the Democratic card.

As a result, Republican candidates will be first on the ballot in suburban Cook County, as well as on all Chicago ballots. Democratic candidates will occupy the second spot.

In a first for the clerk's office, the event was streamed live on the Clerk's Facebook and Twitter pages.

Four years ago, Democrats won the ballot lottery for the 2012 Presidential Election.

A video of the ballot lottery will remain on the Clerk's Facebook and Twitter feeds, and will also be available to watch on the Clerk's YouTube page, at www.youtube.com/user/CookCountyClerk1.