LaTrina Leary and Frank Abdnour will have to wait at least another week before finding out which one of them won the Democratic primary for Peoria Township supervisor.
The race remains uncalled with Leary now leading the incumbent Abdnour by four votes, 3,097-3,093. The margin was just a single vote when the last Election Night results were posted on Tuesday.
Peoria County Election Commission Executive Director Thomas Bride said his office will continue to process additional mail-in votes that were sent before and the throughout next week before certifying the results on March 11.
“We will count ballots again Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and then we'll finish on a week from Tuesday,” said Bride. “So any late arriving eligible by-mail ballots – we have some challenge balance still out where they did return in time but something was challenged, usually a signature – and then also, we'll have some provisional ballots to count.”
Bride said if the margin is still very small, there’s no automatic recount provision in Illinois.
“One of the candidates would have to ask ... the first step is to ask for a discovery recount, which they would formally do; They have five days after it's certified to ask for a discovery recount,” he said. “They can select up to a certain number of precincts, and then we would recount those precincts.
“Then based on what we see in those, the candidates at that point then could file in circuit court to actually challenge the outcome of the election. The discovery recount doesn't change anything; it's just a discovery process.”
While acknowledging a short window before the April 6 general election, Bride noted the winner of the Democratic primary basically claims the office because there are no other opposing candidates.
We’re living in unprecedented times when information changes by the minute. WCBU will continue to be here for you, keeping you up-to-date with the live, local and trusted news you need. Help ensure WCBU can continue with its in-depth and comprehensive COVID-19 coverage as the situation evolves by making a contribution.
Copyright 2021 WCBU. To see more, visit WCBU. 9(MDIwMjIxMDA0MDE0Mzk4NDIzNjA0OGQ5Yg001))
