Smith lands advantageous position in clerk's ballot drawing

By Max Pizarro, PolitickerNJ.com Reporter

Netchert pulls the name "Smith" out of the ballot box.: Politicker photo

JERSEY CITY - Police Director Mark Smith took the pole position here today in a ballot drawing for the special election to be held Nov 4th for Bayonne mayor.

In the Division of Elections Office at the William Brennan Court House, Hudson County Clerk Barbara A. Netchert put the names of the five mayoral candidates in small plastic tubes and then placed the tubes in a revolving holding chamber.

"This ballot box probably goes back to the days of (Jersey City Mayor) Frank Hague," Netchert said later.

The clerk spun the box a number of times before withdrawing Smith's name first.

Smith's name occupies column "D" on the ballot, in a special box where the mayoral candidates are bracketed. Richard Rutkowski is in the "E" column, followed by Robert F. Sloan, and Raymond Rokicki.

Netchert withdrew the name of Pat Conaghan last.

Conaghan, a retired judge whom internal polls from his campaign show to be in a dead heat with Smith, occupies column "H" on the ballot.

The Bayonne ballot: Politicker photo The Bayonne ballot: Politicker photo