The draw may have been random but the result was an accurate reflection of their popularity at a weekend forum on green issues.
When Mr Justice Jeremy Poon Shiu-chor, the returning officer for the March 25 chief executive race, pulled the names of the three contenders from one box and the slots on the ballot paper from another yesterday, each candidate's place coincided with their relative public opinion ranking among attendees at the Saturday forum.
Taking top spot on the ballot paper was former Executive Council convenor Leung Chun-ying, with pan-democratic candidate Albert Ho Chun-yan second and former chief secretary Henry Tang Ying-yen third.
Scandal-plagued Tang was quick to dismiss suggestions that the draw mirrored his popularity compared with his rivals.
'It was a random draw. Three is a quite good number. The number plate of one of my cars is '3388',' he smiled.
Leung refused to be drawn on the result.
Yesterday's draw, held at the Central Library in Causeway Bay, also determined where in the city each candidate could post his election advertisements.
