Dillard: We just have to wait for votes to be counted

Saying that the remaining two GOP governor candidates are just five ten-thousandths of a percentage point apart, Kirk Dillard said Friday he intends to wait until all provisional and absentee ballots are counted before making any new declarations on the contest.

Dillard, of Hinsdale, said that his count of the votes statewide shows him trailing Bill Brady, of Bloomington, by only about 400 votes. The Associated Press' most-recent count shows Brady with 155,327 votes and Dillard with 154,907, a difference of 420.

At an afternoon news conference at the Union League Club in downtown Chicago, Dillard acknowledged that it could be two weeks before thousands of votes from provisional and absentee ballots are tabulated, but that the closeness of the race requires everyone to patiently await the final outcome.

"All the ballots have not been counted, so the election is not over," he said. "In a race this close, it is essential that every vote count. We're all going to have to wait a little longer."

Dillard and spokesman Wes Bleed took pains to insist they were not extending the process, but pointed out that election officials across the state are allowed two weeks to tabulate an estimated 5,000 provisional and 1,000 absentee ballots, with perhaps more still in the mail.

Dillard said it's "way too early" to talk about the possibility of demanding a recount if he doesn't finish on top in the final tally. Candidates cannot seek a recount until votes are certified on March 5.

Dillard also called Brady his "friend" as fellow state senators and said both candidates share the same goal. "Things are very cordial between us," Dillard said. "We are both committed to beating Pat Quinn in November."

At the same time, however, Dillard added, "I still believe I would be the stronger candidate," and drew optimism from how about half of the provisional ballots are in the Chicago metropolitan area, where he ran stronger than Brady.

"We're confident our victory will hold," Brady countered.

He said his experts told him later ballots generally follow the prevailing trend of the election and that 400 votes would be enough of a cushion for any fluctuation, adding that he'd heard only 15 percent of provisional ballots were accepted in Cook County on Friday.

"Certainly, Kirk Dillard is a friend of mine and a colleague," Brady said, and he expressed tolerance of Dillard's desire to play things out to the end. Yet Brady also expressed confidence he is the nominee.