Write-in candidate to get recount Thursday in DuPage
DuPage recorder candidate Moon Khan should know by the end of the week whether his March write-in campaign generated enough votes to secure the Democratic Party's nomination.
The DuPage Election Commission agreed in court Tuesday to finish recounting the votes by May 13 in response to a lawsuit Khan filed last week.
Commission attorney Pat Bond said about 10 bipartisan teams of election judges will examine the ballots beginning at 9 a.m. Thursday in the auditorium of the county administration building, 421 N. County Farm Road, Wheaton.
According to the agreement, the election judges will begin by recounting paper ballots from the March 15 Democratic primary. If they discover significant errors they also will recount the touch-screen ballots.
"If the number of votes picked up is sufficient, the commission will file an amended certified copy of the election results with the state board of elections," Bond said. "We're hoping to begin the process in the next few days."
Khan, who was running unopposed as a write-in candidate, needed 844 votes to secure the Democratic nomination for the recorder's post to face Republican incumbent Fred Bucholz in the November general election. But the election commission said the Lombard resident received just 699 votes, even though more than 4,000 Democrats cast ballots for the recorder's position.
Khan and his attorney, Keri-Lyn J. Krafthefer, say they believe a number of write-in votes weren't counted in some precincts.
In fact, Khan got credit for only one vote in his own precinct, even though he voted for himself along with his wife, son and neighbor.
A similar situation happened earlier this month in Wayne Township where three Republican precinct committeemen candidates picked up dozens of additional write-in votes during a court-ordered recount. As a result, two of those candidates were elected.
"We're pleased the county has worked with us on this agreement," Krafthefer said Tuesday. "Once there is a full recount, we believe we will have a sufficient number of votes to be on the ballot."
Khan said he sued the commission not just for his own election prospects but for future candidates as well.
"I did this so we can know why it happened and how the system can be reformed so no other candidates will need to spend the money and knock at the door of the judicial system," Khan said after Tuesday's hearing.
To save time and money, both sides agreed to stop counting the ballots in the event election judges reach the 145 votes Khan needs.
Khan's case will next go before Judge Robert Rohm on May 17. Attorneys expect the recount to be completed by then.