Elgin Township race a matter of one vote

It's a popular cliché in social studies classes, but it rang true for the final Elgin Township trustee seat Tuesday night.

Democrat Carol Rauschenberger prevailed over Republican Steve Thoren by just one vote.

Or did she?

Results are unofficial and Kane County Clerk John Cunningham said his office has until April 21 to count absentee ballots and tallies by voters in the armed forces.

Then, if the race is still within one percentage point, the loser may ask for a partial recount, he said.

"If I were one of the candidates, I would not make my concession speech yet," Cunningham said. "We don't know who won that race yet."

Unofficial results show Rauschenberger finished with 3,180 votes and Thoren with 3,179. That likely will change when absentee ballots are counted.

"It's definitely going to be a few votes apart. It's just goes to show that every single vote counts," said an optimistic Rauschenberger. "We do need some balance (on the township board)."

Rauschenberger was the only Democrat out of her slate to win a township office. The GOP took all major offices and three of four trustee seats.

Thoren said he was optimistic as well and he helped his slate.

"This is a lesson to be learned by all people of all parties," said Thoren, who was appointed as trustee in January. "I feel like the right candidates got in, with one pending."