Two write-in candidates for McLean County Board barely reached the minimum number of votes to advance to the general election, while three other write-ins easily advanced, based on unofficial election data from the McLean County clerk’s office and the Bloomington Election Commission.
Republican Vicki Schultz of Bloomington picked up 34 votes and Gary Stevens of Bloomington had 27 votes in Tuesday's primary.
Each write-in candidate was required to get at least 24 votes to move on to the general election in November.
Both candidates are running in District 8 in west Bloomington. Schultz was one of five GOP candidates who got kicked off the ballot for failing to number pages on their nominating petitions. Stevens withdrew his candidacy, but later refiled as a write-in.
The others candidates who were initially removed — County Board chair John McIntyre (District 5, northeast and northcentral Normal), incumbent Catherine Metsker (District 1, northern McLean County) and newcomer Hannah Blumenshine (District 5) — all finished well above the minimum vote threshold.
Metsker garnered 334 votes, McIntyre picked up 285 votes. Blumenshine totaled 259 votes.
None of the candidates were in contested primaries, but each will have competition in the general election as the two top vote-getters in each of 10 County Board districts will be elected.
Annette Fellows, one of the candidates who was removed from the ballot, did not file as a write-in.
McLean County Clerk Kathy Michael said each candidate still must file a statement of candidacy and a statement of economic interests with election authorities within 10 days of their primary win.
