Three Republican-led Legislative Races Tighten As Vote Count Continues

Rep. Amy Grant’s narrow lead in the 47th House District narrowed further as more votes were counted in DuPage County Friday afternoon.

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Three uncalled House races saw GOP leads narrow Friday as election authorities counted more late-arriving mail ballots.

Here’s an overview:

47th HOUSE

DuPage County added 772 votes to the total late yesterday afternoon in this razor thin House race between Rep. Amy Grant (R-Wheaton) and Democrat Jackie Williamson.

Williamson cut Grant’s lead from 500 to 326.

It currently stands at 29,830 (50.3%) for Grant to 29,504 (49.7%) for Williamson.

Some 5,000 mail in votes arrived in DuPage County Friday, we’re told, but we don’t know how many fall in the 47th.

“This is gonna be so close,” one top Republican said Friday.

52nd HOUSE

Lake and Kane Counties added votes to their total late Friday, cutting the lead of Rep. Marty McLaughlin (R-Barrington Hills) from 969 to 778 over Democrat Maria Peterson.

Peterson gained 231 votes when Lake County tabulated 474 additional votes in the district Friday. Kane County added two ballots, one each for McLaughlin and Peterson.

“I don’t see how there are enough ballots left,” said one top Democrat.

We’re told McHenry County is holding all late tabulation until the final day of counting on November 19, but messages left at the McHenry County Clerk’s Office went unreturned Friday. Cook County added a block of votes Thursday.

104th HOUSE

Also, there was a new ballot dump in Champaign County Friday morning impacting the too close to call 104th District race. Rep. Brandun Schweizer’s lead dropped from 711 votes to 524 votes.

The Clerk’s office reports about 18,000 ballots have been received and accepted post-election, but it isn’t clear how many yet have to be counted. There are also 145 provisional ballots yet to be resolved. We don’t know how many are in the 104th, but there could certainly still be changes in that race that is getting closer.

Far fewer ballots remain in Vermilion County.

No new results have been reported in the 76th House District, where Democrat Amy “Murri” Briel leads Republican Liz Bishop by 505 votes.

Just a note, most counties won’t be counting Monday as most Clerk offices are closed for Veterans Day.

NewsPatrick Pfingsten