UPDATED AT END OF POST

When the final list of qualified mayoral and council candidates was posted on Monday, I noticed Jose F. Moreno (the left-wing Democrat one) had (1) next to his name and Jose Moreno (the conservative Republican one) had (2) next to his.

I suspected it had something to do with the instance when two Robert “Bob” Bakers ran for San Clemente City Council in 2012. They were also numbered on the ballot. However, their names on the ballot were identical, which is not the case with the two Morenos. 

I e-mailed Anaheim City Clerk Linda Andal about the matter, and received this explanation yesterday:

Effective January 1, 2014, Section 13118 of the Elections Code addresses candidates with “similar” names.  In short, the code provides that a candidate may file a statement with the elections official requesting an official number be assigned to each candidate with a similar name.  The code further provides that the first candidate to file their nomination papers shall receive the number “1” and each subsequent candidate, shall be assigned the next number in numerical value.

Jose F. Moreno was first to file his nomination papers, together with a request for an assignment of numbers.  

I’ll let readers know if there is anything else to the story.

UPDATE (12:59 p.m. on August 13): this went out a little while ago from City Clerk Linda Andal:

Please take notice that pursuant to section 13118 of the California Elections Code, the Anaheim City Clerk will conduct a random drawing of the assigned numbers 1 (Jose F. Moreno) and 2 (Jose Moreno) to determine the order in which the aforementioned same/similar candidate names will appear on the ballot.  The drawing of numbers will take place on Thursday, August 14, 2014 at 4:30 p.m. in the City Clerk’s conference room, located at 200 S. Anaheim Blvd, 2nd Floor, Anaheim, CA.   The alphabet drawing conducted by the Secretary of State will determine the order of all names on the city ballot.  The City Clerk drawing only pertains to the assigned numbers 1 and 2, following the order determined by the alphabet drawing. 

Both aforementioned candidates have been notified and confirmed this date, time, and location.   All members of the public are welcome to observe.  

So, if I understand this correctly, you could have a situation where Jose Moreno (2) is first on the ballot, and Jose F. Moreno (1) is second.  That kind of sums of the state of Anaheim politics of late.