Illinois primary: Candidates hold leads in updated McHenry County vote totals

Several Republican candidates in close Tuesday primary races are holding their leads with the counting of vote-by-mail and early-voting paper ballots in McHenry County.

Provisional ballots filed in the extra 90 minutes that the polls stayed open by court order in the wake of numerous Election Day problems also were added Thursday night. Unofficial vote totals as of Thursday night do not include regular provisional ballots. Allen Skillicorn, who leads a three-way primary race for the 66th Illinois House District, slightly widened his lead over Carolyn Schofield to 608 votes. Skillicorn declared victory Thursday, and leads with about 32 percent of the vote, while Schofield followed with about 28 percent. Dan Wilbrandt came in third, while Paul Serwatka, who dropped out of the race, came out on the bottom.

In the 26th Illinois Senate District, Dan McConchie is maintaining his 3.7-percent lead over Casey Urlacher, and is ahead by 1,374 votes – he still has 36.3 percent of the vote to Urlacher’s 32.6 percent. Urlacher had strong voter support in McHenry County. McConchie, who was hesitant before, claimed victory in the race Thursday night. The district covers southeastern McHenry, central and southern Lake, northeastern Kane and northwestern Cook counties. The winner of the primary may end up taking office in April, if he is appointed to fill the remainder of Sen. Dan Duffy’s term.

Duffy, who did not seek a third term, announced he is stepping down in April to take the helm of a nonprofit that fights child abuse and neglect.

McHenry County recorder candidate Joe Tirio has slightly widened his lead in the three-way primary race for the office. He still has 38 percent of the vote compared to 34 percent for Joni Smith and 27.7 percent for Tina Hill.

In the closest race on the McHenry County Board, District 6 incumbent Mary McCann, who was up by only three votes over challenger Ersel Schuster, extended her lead to 24 votes – McCann has 3,517 votes compared to Schuster’s 3,493. Newcomer James Kearns handily captured the other nomination with 3,889 votes.

• Northwest Herald reporter Hannah Prokop contributed.