Trevor takes lead over Podgorski, reducing GOP chances of retaining Cook County Board seat
Democrat Maggie Trevor has taken her first lead over Republican Matt Podgorski in the Cook County Board 9th District race, according to the latest unofficial vote totals released Tuesday.
Trevor, of Rolling Meadows, had 53,039 votes to 52,558 for Podgorski, of Chicago, according to the Cook County clerk's office and Chicago Board of Election commissioners websites.
If Trevor's 481-vote lead holds, Republicans would have only one seat on the 17-member elected panel. The 9th District seat has long been held by Republican Peter Silvestri of Elmwood Park, who didn't seek an eighth term.
On election night, Podgorski led by 1,168 votes, but that lead dwindled, then disappeared with the counting of mail-in ballots over the last week.
On Monday afternoon, Podgorski's lead was only 178 votes, but he was already ready to concede the race, calling it a "statistical certainty" that he would fall behind.
"There are just too many mail-in ballots that have been received, but not yet processed. And Democrats are winning about 75% of mail-in votes," he wrote on his campaign's Facebook page. "Although I am disappointed by the results, I am very grateful for all of the friends and acquaintances made over the last 12 months. The voters chose their county commissioner. I support their choice and will do anything I can to help our elected officials succeed in serving the public interest. At the end of the day, that's really what it's all about."
On Tuesday afternoon, Trevor said she was still trying to find out how many votes are left to count.
"But right now, it looks promising," she wrote on her campaign's Facebook page.
Trevor, a market research/business consultant, lost close races for an Illinois House seat to state Rep. Tom Morrison in 2018 and 2020 - the first contest by a mere 43 votes.
The redrawn 9th District includes parts of Chicago and large portions of Palatine, Wheeling, Maine, Leyden, Norwood Park and River Forest townships.
Sean Morrison, the chairman of the Cook County Republican Party, would be the only remaining Republican on the county board. He led Democrat Daniel Calandriello by 2,846 votes for the 17th District seat, unofficial results show.