CHICAGO (WBBM NEWSRADIO) -- Waiting for mail ballots to be counted before elections are officially over isn't unusual. But, in 2020, it's getting an unusual amount of attention.
It’s not often that mailed-in and provisional ballots play a crucial role in deciding an election, but it happens, and Illinois’ election laws provide for it. The difference now is that because of the coronavirus pandemic, there are a lot more mail ballots than ever.
Illinois law said any ballots that were post-marked by Election Day, and received by Nov. 17 must be counted. Wisconsin and Indiana only count ballots that were received by Election Day. Iowa gives postmarked ballots until Nov. 9.
Officials at the Illinois State Board of Elections said there could be as many as 400,000 ballots still in the mail.
That’s enough to make a difference in close races for Congress and other offices. So, declaring some winners might have to wait.
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On another issue , Illinois Supreme Court Justice Thomas Kilbride lost his bid to be retained on the state’s highest court Tuesday night. It was the end of a bitter political battle.
Justice Thomas Kilbride’s retention campaign was largely funded by the Illinois Democratic Party and House Speaker Michael Madigan. Illinois Republicans and billionaire Ken Griffin financed a multi-million dollar campaign against him. Kilbride has been a vote against term limits and pension changes. In leaving the court, he erases the 4 to 3 majority the Democrats had there.
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In a statement, Kilbride said he’s proud of the legacy he leaves behind of a court that’s more open, transparent, and accessible to all. But, Illiniois GOP chairman Tim Schneider issued his own statement saying, “if you align yourself with and take money from one of the most corrupt machine politicians in the country, we are coming for you.”