CHENANGO COUNTY – With the September Republican primary elections just around the corner, candidates’ best bet for placement on the ballot was determined Tuesday by a few bingo balls.

Under New York State Board of Election Law, when two or more candidates of the same political party run for the same office, placement of their name on the ballot is determined by a bingo-style drawing which was held Tuesday at the Office of the Chenango County Board of Elections in Norwich.

The rules of the game are simple, explained Democratic Elections Commissioner Carol Franklin: Each candidate is assigned a number, and a number to a space on the ballot. The order that numbers are called when they’re pulled are assigned to the corresponding candidate dictated by the date the candidate filed their designating petition.

“There have been questions in the past from people who want to know who’s on the ballot and how they get on the ballot,” said Franklin. “Some candidates want the first number on the row ... This process helps determine who goes where on the ballot.”

In Chenango County, a Republican primary will be held for superintendent of highways in the towns of Plymouth and Smithville; town council in the Town of Oxford; and mayor in the City of Norwich. There is also one county-wide election for the Office of the District Attorney.