Burkhart wins Dist. 220 seat

Richard Burkhart of Deer Park proved the third and final winner of the Barrington Unit District 220 board race Wednesday following the official canvass by the Lake County clerk’s office.

Burkhart ended up beating fellow contender Tom Antoine of South Barrington for the third available seat on the board by only one vote, according to official results.

“That certainly proves that every vote counts,” Lake County Clerk Willard Helander said.

Neither Burkhart nor Antoine could be reached for comment Wednesday.

The final total for the race was 2,776 votes for board President Brian Battle, 2,642 for Joseph Ruffolo, 2,421 for Richard Burkhart and 2,420 for Tom Antoine.

At the end of Election Day April 5, unofficial results showed Antoine to be ahead by two votes. But as each of the four counties in the district began counting their early, absentee and provisional ballots at different rates, Burkhart moved ahead by three votes by the following afternoon.

Cook, Lake, Kane and McHenry counties had until Tuesday to count all the outstanding ballots they’d received, but it wasn’t until Lake County’s canvass late Wednesday afternoon that results became final.

And it won’t be until next Tuesday that the results are officially certified.

The late-running contest between Burkhart and Antoine was not between bitter rivals, but between two candidates who’d run on the same slate.

Battle was the only incumbent in this year’s race.

The new board members will be sworn in at the May 3 meeting.