Too close to call: Several key Rockford-area elections remain up in the air
The 2023 Consolidated Election was held in Illinois Tuesday, and while many races for local government and school and park boards have been called, some have not.
Some remain too close to call.
Local election offices have two weeks after the election to certify the vote, and while some will add votes from mail-in ballots received Election Day but postmarked on or before Election Day as they arrive in their offices, some wait the full two weeks before updating results.
Winnebago County Clerk Lori Gummow posted the following Wednesday on the clerk's Facebook page:
"Voters across Winnebago County cast their ballots yesterday voting for several key races, board seats, referenda questions and more. Results are unofficial and mail-in ballots can still be received and counted by the clerk's office before the election is certified two weeks from Tuesday, April 4, 2023."
More: Your election results here: Rockford, Freeport, Belvidere, Parks and more
Here's a list of area races that are too close to call.
Harlem School Board 122 Special
Candidate Pamela Harding is currently in the lead with 1,301 votes. Megan Hastings is less than 30 votes away from Harding with 1,273 votes.
Incumbent Sue Berogan got 656 votes, and a fourth candidate, Andrea Prentice, got 351.
Belvidere City Council Ward 2
A two-way race to serve as Ward 2 alderperson is separated by 13 votes.
As of election night, Belvidere Ald. Daniel Snow was in the lead with 204 votes to Jerry Hoiness' 191 votes.
Machesney Park Village Trustee, District 6
A three-way race for village trustee remains to close to call, as well.
Candidate Julie Boggie has 76 votes to Dennis Wenger's 72 and Cynthia Knutson's 67.
City of South Beloit Commissioner
A six-way race for four seats remains undecided with only six votes separating the fourth-place and fifth-place vote-getters.
As it stands, candidate Ryan Adleman leads with 424 votes, followed by Courtney Prentice with 314, Brian Hedrington with 309 and Kenneth Morse with 304. Robert McLain is in fifth place with 298 votes, and Joyce Blade is in sixth with 244.
Village of Poplar Grove Trustee
Six candidates ran for three seats on the Village of Poplar Grove Board.
At the end of election night, leaders were Owen Costanza with 417 votes, Kristi Richardson with 371 votes and Jeffrey Goings with 356 votes.
Just behind Goings by four votes was Bruce Moore, 352; followed by David Allgood, 343, and Dean Svarc, 328.
Village of Polar Grove Trustee Special
Also not yet called is a two-way race between Elizabeth Straw, 410 votes, and Ronald Quimby, 393 votes.
Winnebago School Board
In the Winnebago School District, seven candidates were running for four seats.
Top vote-getters on election night were Melissa Thomas, 441 votes; James Gray, 375; John Strutzenberg, 368; and Michael Rossol, 367.
Just two votes away from Rossol is Cali Oberbroeckling with 365 votes, followed by Nichole Smith, 343, and Tracy Kruse, 325.
Prairie Hill School Board
Five candidates ran for three seats on the Prairie Hill School Board.
While the top vote-getters were clear — Laurie Dixon with 409 votes and Kimberly Aulenbacher with 377 — the third place race was much tighter.
Candidate Justin Keller had 282 votes, followed by Jared Eischeid with 272 and Joshua Ballard with 271.
Shirland Township
Officials are holding off on calling the Shirland Township road referendum, as well.
Only four votes separate "yes" and "no" votes in a referendum that would determine whether residents in the Shirland Township Road District would have to pay more taxes to fund infrastructure repairs.
Unofficial election night results were 73 yes and 69 no.
Corina Curry is the Rockford Register Star news director. She can be reached at ccurry@rrstar.com.
This article originally appeared on Rockford Register Star: Too close to call: Several Rockford-area elections remain up in air
