The Greens candidate for Goulburn has drawn top spot on the ballot for the March 23 state election.
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Saan Ecker's name was first out of the box when the State Electoral Commission's election manager Lars Gudikson conducted the draw on Thursday morning.
The overall order was:
- Dr Saan Ecker, The Greens (1st),
- Andy Wood, Shooters, Fishers and Farmers Party (2nd),
- Wendy Tuckerman, Liberal Party (3rd),
- Tracey Keenan, Animal Justice Party (4th),
- Dr Ursula Stephens, Labor Party (5th),
- Dean McCrae, Liberal Democrats (6th), and
- Richard Orchard, One Nation (7th).
Mr McCrae, a chef from the Southern Highlands, only announced his candidature this week.
Dr Ecker said she was pleased she had scored the top position on the ballot paper.
“I am pleased that this lottery went our way,” Dr Ecker said
“I am hoping this may encourage people to give us their first preference because a vote for the Greens is never wasted; preferences will flow through to other selections that people make.
“We are hoping this is an opportunity for people to put us first knowing that their preferences will flow to anyone else if we don’t get in.
On what party the Greens would direct their preferences to, she said: “I think it is quite obvious who they are not going to.”
Mr Wood said he was satisfied with the outcome.
"Whatever comes out of the box," he quipped.
Dr Stephens said the position made no difference to her.
"I've never been on top of the ballot so why break a habit?" she said.
Ms Tuckerman told The Post she was happy with the draw and the process.
"At the end of the day it's not about where you are on the ballot but what you deliver," she said.
The Liberal candidate said she was pleased with her campaign so far.
Mr Orchard was philosophical about his last spot on the draw.
"At least I got one end of it. That's a good thing," he joked.
But he said voters were not stupid and didn't necessarily vote according to the ballot.
"And votes for minor parties go places you never expect," he said, referring to preferences.