Game Day chatter in race for City Controller

Happy primary election day.  The PhillyClout team will continue the tradition of live-blogging from the Famous 4th Street Deli and from Relish restaurant, where politicians, ward leaders and supporters assemble to swap the gossip of the hour.

The top race on the local ticket today: The three-man Democratic primary election for City Controller.  Brett Mandel, who finished third in the 2009 primary, fired off an email to supporters this morning, urging them to "Vote early, vote awesome." To reach awesome, Mandel said, his supporters should bring a friend to the polls to vote for him.

"Yours is a vote against the crooked politicians and insider deals that have held Philadelphia captive for so long," Mandel's email said. "It's a vote for unprecedented transparency that will make Philadelphia work for us."

John Dougherty, head of Local 98 of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, issued an email to his political supporters, stumping for incumbent City Controller Alan Butkovitz.  Dougherty's email, also posted on his Facebook page, calls Butkovitz "not sexy" but "honest as the day is long."

"Brett Mandel, on the other hand, is an enigma," Dougherty wrote. "I've never seen anyone go so quickly from being a progressive, good government type to a conniving, lying political hack in four short years."

Mark Zecca, a 20-year veteran of the city Law Department, is also running in the primary.

So enjoy the show.  Remember to send your Election Day tips to brennac@phillynews.com.