Some candidates have all the luck. Muriel Bowser‘s picks in the Ward 4 and Ward 8 races already have more money than their opponents, and now they’ve landed some of the best spots on the ballot after today’s D.C. Board of Elections lottery.

In Ward 4, Brandon Todd can now add the top spot on the ballot to his overwhelming campaign apparatus and fundraising advantage. With that, any hope his rivals had of winning the rare special election voter who will vote for the first name they see grows dimmer.

If ballot position will make a difference anywhere, it’s in Ward 8, where 15 candidates are scrapping for what’s expected to be a tiny pool of voters. With the second spot on the ballot, Bowser favorite LaRuby May has the most prominent among top-tier candidates, behind only lesser known hopeful Greta Fuller.

Among other leading candidates, Natalie Williams has the fourth position, Sheila Bunn has the sixth, and Eugene Kinlow has the tenth spot on the ballot.

Marion C. Barry, meanwhile, has the eighth spot, which his supporters are gamely insisting is actually the best spot on the ballot. Get it? Because he’s number 8 on the ballot, and he’s running to represent Ward 8.

Photo by Will Sommer