PHOTOS BY DAVID BLANCHETTE
The race for Sangamon County recorder had Republican Frank Lesko forward of Democrat Josh Langfelder by 68 votes on the finish of Election Day, however there are nonetheless 444 mail-in and provisional ballots that won’t be counted till Nov. 19, together with any others that arrive bearing postmarks of Nov. 5 or earlier than.
Whereas nationwide pundits have been shocked by the power of Donald Trump’s displaying, native political observers discovered few surprises in Sangamon County. That mentioned, the winners of two space races won’t be identified till Nov. 19.
The hotly contested race for Sangamon County recorder had Republican Frank Lesko forward of Democrat Josh Langfelder by 68 votes on the finish of Election Day.
The race for the District 25 Sangamon County Board seat, which represents a portion of Springfield’s west aspect, additionally is simply too near name. Republican Jennifer Ghesquiere Deaner leads her Democratic opponent, Jennifer Merritt, by a mere 9 votes. Libertarian Russ Clark captured 270 votes in that race.
Nonetheless, Sangamon County Board Chair Andy Van Meter retained his seat in District 24 by 181 votes, heading off a second problem from Maureen Duffy Bommarito. First-time candidate Bommarito misplaced to Van Meter by 56.4% to 43.6% in 2022, however had hoped to capitalize on voters’ need for change throughout the Sangamon County Sherriff’s Workplace, which is funded by the County Board. Van Meter was first elected to the board in 1994 and has served as chair for the previous 24 years.
As of Nov. 12, there have been 444 mail-in and provisional ballots that haven’t but been counted, Sangamon County Clerk Don Grey mentioned. And 23 of these uncounted ballots have been solid by residents of the district of the undecided county board race, he mentioned.
These ballots plus any which have but to trickle in bearing postmarks of Nov. 5 or earlier than shall be counted at 9 a.m. Nov. 19, Grey mentioned.
Provisional ballots, for probably the most half, are from residents who requested mail-in ballots however then selected to vote in-person at their precinct, Grey mentioned.
“We have clearly had an amazing enlargement in vote by mail in recent times, so extra individuals are using it,” he mentioned. “For those who had not utilized your poll by mail, statute requires you to have surrendered that poll to election judges within the polling place, (the place it) could be spoiled and a brand new poll could be issued. After which (it) could be run by the tabulator.
“If you do not have that (mail-in) poll with you, we nonetheless need you to vote, however we have now to substantiate that it hasn’t come again to us. So, we have now you vote provisionally. You’ll make your markings and it might go into this provisional folder and be returned to the election authority that night to make sure that your poll by mail is not returned to us, (too).”
Former U.S. Consultant and Springfield native Cheri Bustos, a Democrat, discovered the races for presidency in addition to for who controls every home of Congress disappointing, with Republicans taking management of the U.S. Senate and on monitor to take care of management of the U.S. Home.
“I feel we’re a celebration that’s led by consultants who virtually all stay on the coasts,” she mentioned. “They do not know our a part of the nation effectively in any respect. Are they making the correct try and get to know voters who’re more and more going middle proper? And we had higher begin understanding it, or we’ll proceed to have a protracted string of losses at plenty of ranges.”
Trump did even higher in Sangamon County than he did nationally, capturing 51.6% of the realm’s vote versus 50.2% nationwide.
Patrick Pfingsten, who publishes the political e-newsletter Illinoize and is a morning host on WMAY radio, mentioned the Democrats have themselves responsible for his or her poor displaying within the presidential and congressional races.
“Democrats ran a horrible marketing campaign. Joe Biden ought to have been out of the race in 2022. He ought to have come out after the midterms and mentioned, ‘This is not for me anymore. I must move the baton.’ There ought to have been an actual Democratic major the place whoever gained – whether or not it was Vice President (Kamala) Harris, (California) Gov. Gavin Newsom or (U.S. Sen.) Elizabeth Warren – was examined and gained the first,” Pfingsten mentioned.
“They put Kamala Harris in a virtually unwinnable place. …It was like, ‘I am unable to go to the grocery retailer as a result of the worth of eggs, the worth of milk, the worth of gasoline to get there are all crushing and our property taxes are uncontrolled. Our wages aren’t maintaining. What are you going to do about it, Madam Vice President?’ And what’s her reply? ‘Nicely, I grew up a middle-class child.’ Give me a break. There was no actual substance to her,” he mentioned.
Racism and misogyny have been components in Harris’ defeat, mentioned Sangamon County Democratic Occasion Chair Invoice Houlihan.
“I’d say (Trump) did higher with working individuals,” he mentioned. “Biden’s been the perfect union president America has ever had, in my view. However on this case, (staff) did not have sufficient on Harris. Being each an African American and a lady, with some males, it is simply laborious for them to help a candidate like that, though she would have been simply nearly as good for labor.”
Longtime Illinois political observer Mike Lawrence, the retired director of the Paul Simon Public Coverage Institute at Southern Illinois College, mentioned the election can have little impact on the ability stability inside Illinois authorities.
Domestically, Illinois Rep. Mike Coffey, R-Springfield, defeated Democratic challenger Kristen Chiaro of Chatham for the ninety fifth Home seat. And Illinois Rep. Sue Scherer, D-Decatur, defeated Republican Lisa Smith of Mt. Auburn.
Whatever the handful of tight legislative races the place the outcomes shall be unclear till all mail-in and provisional ballots are counted, it’s sure Democrats will keep veto-proof majorities in each the Illinois Home and Senate, Lawrence mentioned.
“I feel the map has a terrific deal to do with that,” he mentioned. “Underneath abnormal circumstances, it might be tough for Republicans to achieve seats within the districts which have been drawn by Democrats. However I additionally suppose voters within the suburbs should not as enamored with Trump as voters within the nation and in downstate Illinois.”
Former Gov. Pat Quinn championed a non-binding statewide referendum that will add a 3% surcharge on individuals with taxable incomes exceeding $1 million. The extra income could be utilized to property tax aid. The measure handed with 60% of voters favoring it.
Nonetheless, for such an thought to change into legislation, the Illinois Structure would must be amended to change the state’s flat earnings tax provision. A majority of voters rejected a proposed modification in 2020 to finish the flat tax. However Quinn advised Illinois Occasions a query on the 2026 poll might get extra help if it states a tax price, an earnings threshold and explains the place the funds would go.
“It is a step towards equity within the Illinois tax code that’s (at the moment) beneficiant to millionaires, with many favors and loopholes,” he mentioned. “They get the tax breaks, when the typical property taxpayer will get the upper tax invoice.”
However Lawrence was dismissive of the non-binding decision’s significance.
“In some respects, the query about taxing millionaires was like voting for motherhood,” he mentioned. “I imply, the perfect tax for most individuals is a tax on the opposite man.”
