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Newcastle Independents candidate and former NBN newsreader John Church has secured top spot on the ballot paper for next month's Newcastle lord mayoral election.
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Labor lord mayor Nuatali Nelmes received second spot in Thursday's ballot draw, followed by independent Rod Holding, the Greens' John Mackenzie, the Socialist Alliance's Stephen O'Brien and Liberal candidate Jenny Barrie.
Cr Church also came out on top in the draw for ward one candidates, where he will lead the Newcastle Independents ticket.
The Labor ticket led by deputy lord mayor Declan Clausen drew second spot in ward one, followed by the Liberals, Socialist Alliance and Greens.
"I am surprised but happy to have the top spot. It's the luck of the draw," Cr Church said of his favourable position on the lord mayoral ballot paper.
"But I will need every vote to go my way to have any chance of winning this election."
Cr Nelmes is favourite to retain the mayoralty after winning more than twice as many votes as any of her rivals in 2017.
Appearing on top of the ballot paper, especially in the mayoral election, can help a candidate secure donkey votes.
Labor was the first name from the hat in ward two, ahead of the Greens, Liberals and Newcastle Independents.
The Liberals will top the ballot paper in ward three, ahead of Labor, Mark Brooker's independent group, Newcastle Independents, Animal Justice and Greens.
Wayne Rogers' independent group heads up the ward four ballot, ahead of the Greens, Liberals, Labor, Newcastle Independents and ungrouped independent candidate Allan Robinson.
In Lake Macquarie, incumbent Labor mayor Kay Fraser drew top position in the mayoral ballot paper, ahead of independent Rosmairi Dawson, Lake Macquarie Independents' Luke Cubis and Liberal candidate Jason Pauling.
"I'm pretty happy with the result for mayor, not so happy with the ballot draw for the wards, but I think most people know how they're going to vote anyway before they go into the voting place," Cr Fraser said.
Cr Cubis regarded the ballot draw as a piece of theatre rather than a significant moment in the campaign.
"It's a fun part of the process," he said.
"I don't know that the positions play too much of a role, certainly not statistically, but it's an enjoyable part of kicking things off."
The independent group led by Basil Paynter drew first in east ward, ahead of the Liberals, Lake Mac Independents, Greens and Labor.
The Greens will have pole position in north ward, followed by the Liberals, Labor, Lake Mac Independents and Shooters, Fishers and Farmers.
In west ward, the Liberals have top spot in front of Lake Mac Independents, Greens and Labor.
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