Cook County state's attorney race gets closer as more mail-in ballots counted
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New numbers on Friday show the race to become the Democratic nominee for Cook County state's attorney is getting closer just days after the primary.
Two candidates, Eilleen O'Neill Burke and Clayton Harris III, are competing for the Democratic nomination.
They are separated by fewer than 6,800 votes.
Eilleen O'Neill Burke remains in the lead with 251,324 votes, or 51%. Harris has 244,538 votes, or 49%.
Alaina Hampton, Harris' campaign manager, released a statement on Friday night, saying, "We are continuing to monitor the counting of outstanding votes and will make a determination as to how to proceed at the appropriate time."
O'Neill Burke said her campaign is cautiously optimistic about the outcome. She spoke to supporters Tuesday night.
"I believe that we could make our justice system work for everyone in every neighborhood in every town across Cook County," Burke said.
Harris spoke to an enthusiastic crowd after polls closed Tuesday and has been encouraging his supporters to be patient as all the votes are counted.
"That's what this campaign has been about," Harris said. "Safety and justice. The fact that this is not an either or proposition. This is and proposition."
Could Cook County SA race go to recount?
City elections officials said we'll have a better idea of who may come out on top.
"We will see a drop off by this weekend of what has been appropriately post marked, we anticipate an upload early next week with final results," said Cook County Deputy Clerk of Elections Edmund Michalowski.
State law gives election officials until April 2 to count late-arriving ballots, but Chicago and Cook County expect to have a winner before then. And regardless of how tight the race ends up, Illinois law does not mandate an automatic recount. The losing candidate, if they are within 5% of the winning candidate, has to request a recount. That process could take several days.
The Democratic nominee will go on to face Republican Bob Fioretti and Libertarian Andrew Charles Kopinski in the November general election.
