Coming Up Short

Gill remains likely winner as absentee deadline passes.

Wednesday, April 4, 2012 | 1:05 p.m.

With "the deadline for absentee ballots to be received by county clerks" on April 3, "it seemed they would not be enough to eclipse" '04/'06/'10 nominee/physician David Gill's (D) primary lead. "Unofficial totals after Election Day set Gill ... with a 143-vote lead" over Greene Co. State's AttyMatt Goetten (D).

The state Board of Elections "won't certify official results until April 20, but it seems absentee ballots, at least, aren't likely to change those numbers much. ... Greater numbers were reported in Champaign County, where Gill picked up a net gain of 26 votes from absentee ballots. McLean County Clerk Kathy Michael said her office planned to count 23 provisional ballots and 10 absentee ballots, but it was not clear ... whether all of those would affect the race. ... Gill picked up four votes combined in Macon, Christian and Montgomery counties."

Goetten spokesperson Vlad Gutman "said the campaign is exploring what might be questionable results in some counties. He would not say whether the campaign would ask for a recount."

Gill: "We've been saying that I won, and it continues to become even more clear that I did win. We're hoping that it becomes apparent enough to my former opponent that there's not much point in persisting with this any longer."

"He said his campaign plans to focus its attention now" on Rep. Tim Johnson (R) (Petty/Lowe,Decatur Herald-Review, 4/4).