Cook County State's Attorney race too close to call; Harris, Burke vow to count every mail-in vote
Mariyana Spryopoulos defeats incumbent Iris Martinez in race for Clerk of Circuit Court nomination
CHICAGO (WLS) -- The Cook County State's Attorney Illinois 2024 primary race has turned into the tightest contest on the ballot Tuesday night, with candidates Clayton Harris III and Eileen O'Neill Burke running nearly neck-and-neck.
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As of 9:40 p.m. Burke remained in the lead with 51% of the vote with Harris a little under 10,000 votes behind with 49% of the vote
Speaking to supporters, O'Neill Burke said that while they have maintained their lead through the night, the race is too close to call and she will wait until every single vote, including mail-in votes, are counted.
O'Neill Burke did something nearly unheard of, which is give up a seat on the judiciary to run for State's Attorney. She ran as essentially a change candidate, appealing to those who were frustrated with the performance of current State's Attorney Kim Foxx.
Harris also addressed supporters, thanking them and saying every mail-in vote will be counted and they will wait patiently for those results to come in. He told supporters they should be proud of the job they did in this campaign.
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There are more than 100,000 mail-in ballots that were requested, and returned ballots mailed by today can and will be counted in the next two weeks.
Whoever comes out on top will face Republican Bob Fioretti and Libertarian Andrew Charles Kopinski.
O'Neill Burke was out early Tuesday morning shaking hands with voters at a polling place at Wells Community Academy in the East Village neighborhood, then made the customary Election Day stop at Manny's Deli.
"We've left it on the field today. I feel really good about it. We have gone to every single coffee shop and every dining room in Cook County and I feel great about it. People are excited and are ready for a change," she said.
The retired appellate court judge and former Cook County prosecutor made her priorities clear.
"We are for efficient use of government resources," Burke said. "We are going to prosecute violent crime and keep people safe but we're also going to focus on restorative justice."
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Harris started the day greeting commuters at the 95th Street CTA Red Line station, then also made an unscheduled stop at Manny's before heading to Hyde Park, where he greeted the lunch crowd at Valois' restaurant and posed for pictures with Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle.
Preckwinkle helped Harris win the endorsement of the Cook County Democratic Party, just as she did with Kim Foxx eight years ago.
"What we're talking about is a new administration on what's coming in. I am going to continue some of the policies that Kim Foxx, they've been nationally replicated, so that's the right thing to do. But I'm gonna put my stamp on the office. So we're focusing on both safety and justice," he said.
Harris is hoping his diversified background, along with his messaging and Preckwinkle's endorsement, tip the vote in his favor.
"Well, it meant everything to be honest with you, you know, a both myself and my opponent solicited President Preckwinkle endorsement. I'm the one that was able to endorse to earn it. So I'm very proud of that and it has been everything," he said.
Mariyana Spryopoulos defeats Iris Martinez in primary for Cook County Clerk of Circuit Court
The incumbent for Clerk of Circuit Court in Cook County would traditionally have the backing of the state Democratic Party and would be the favorite for reelection. But that's not the case this year for Iris Martinez, who was bested in the Illinois 2024 former Water Reclamation District board member Mariyana Spryopoulos.
Martinez conceded the race shortly before 8:30 p.m.
Preckwinkle had endorsed Spyropoulos in the race.
"I think she's shown that she's a detail oriented person and God knows that's what we need at the clerk's office," she said.
It's a not-too-subtle criticism of Martinez, who did not get the party's endorsement when she won the office four years ago. Martinez claims she has accomplished a lot in her first term, digitizing 70 million cases and introducing new technology into courtrooms.
"I hope people look at the accomplishments versus the politics. If it's on accomplishment, I should win this race," she said.
Maritnez is the first Latina to hold the office, but said her opponent has raised vastly more money - about $2 million.
Spyropoulos has 25 years of experience as an attorney and disputes Martinez's claims of modernizing the office.
"This is about making this office work. There's a lot of dysfunction and mismanagement currently," she said.
The clerk's office is responsible for managing court records, including about 24 million case files, and serves the more than 400 judges in the county.
"I think people don't really know what the office does. So it was our job to get that message out there," said Spyropoulos.
"I feel confident I've done everything I can at the end of the day the voters are gonna decide who deserves to stay or a new person coming in," said Martinez.
The winner of this primary will face two opponents in the general election in November; Republican Lupe Aguirre and Libertarian Michael Murphy are both running unopposed.
Is Toni Preckwinkle the state's attorney kingmaker?
Toni Preckwinkle may have lost her bid to become mayor of Chicago in 2019, but since then she has become one of the most powerful people in Illinois.
As the Cook County Democratic Chairperson, Preckwinkle has helped elect current State's Attorney Kim Foxx, Mayor Brandon Johnson and a slew of other county and state candidates.
"I think over the last decade or so we've worked really hard under my predecessor and now, since my tenure in 2018, under my tenure to make the ticket as an inclusive as possible," she said.
Preckwinkle said a more diverse and progressive ticket is why she believes her party has been successful at electing candidates.
"She can make or break a candidate and she uses that power frequently and very potently," said ABC7 Political Analyst Laura Washington.
Preckwinkle's power is helped with the political muscle of the Chicago Teachers Union. The CTU has proved it can get people out to vote on Election Day. Harris' opponent Eileen O'Neill Burke is confident she has the ground troops to beat Preckwinkle's organization.
"I have 13 different labor unions with me and they have been out tirelessly getting their vote out as well. So no, I do not fear that at all," she said.
Preckwinkle's power will be tested tonight not just by her slate of candidates, but she is also strong supporter of the Bring Chicago Home referendum.
