Noland leads but absentee ballots still outstanding

Former longtime state Sen. Steve Rauschenberger picked up some votes as the final precinct in Cook County was tallied late Wednesday afternoon, but incumbent Democrat Michael Noland still leads in the 22nd District.

With all Kane and Cook County precincts reporting, Noland leads Rauschenberger, a Republican, by just 441 votes.

Rauschenberger says he's still waiting on Cook County absentee ballots and believes the race could turn on those votes.

“We want to see what the absentee count is,” Rauschenberger said. “That doesn't change anything.”

But according to a Cook County Clerk's Office spokesman, only 549 absentee ballots have not been counted. That means Rauschenberger would have to carry more than 80 percent of the outstanding absentee ballots to overcome Noland's lead.

Cook County election workers will begin counting those votes on Friday and may not finish until Sunday, a spokesman said.

Noland's lead has narrowed somewhat from Tuesday night, when all Cook County precincts had not been tallied and 557 votes separated him from Rauschenberger.

Noland said he is also waiting on absentee ballots.

“I think we need to,” Noland said Wednesday morning. “And I certainly understand why my opponent would want to.”

After representing the 22nd District for 14 years, Rauschenberger gave up his seat in 2006 to make an unsuccessful run for lieutenant governor.

Daily Herald Staff Writer Mike Riopell contributed to this report.