By Heart of Illinois ABC
BLOOMINGTON – A McLean County Board seat has apparently flipped to the Democrats two weeks after election day.
Tuesday was the last day mail-in votes could be counted, and Democratic challenger Val Laymon is declaring victory after the final count shows she defeated incumbent Republican Jacob Beard by eight votes.
Until Tuesday, Beard held an 11 vote lead. With all votes counted, the Bloomington Election Commission showed Laymon with 4,065 votes, to Beard’s 4,057. Libertarian candidate Darin George Kaeb had 352 votes.
The three candidates were running for the District 7 county board seat representing east-central Bloomington.
Laymon was elated as she declared victory in a video she posted on Facebook Tuesday night.
“What a wild ride! What a wait! Please know that your voice and your vote matter,” Laymon said.
“Eight votes are what’s bringing me here to you this evening,” Laymon added.
She went on to thank District 7 voters.
“Thank you for coming out en masse, for braving such a divisive environment, for braving a pandemic, braving long lines and other challenges along the way,” Laymon said.
Laymon said she’s lived in the county for 20 years. She attended ISU and held leadership positions with the Feminist Majority Leadership Allliance and PRIDE.
There’s no word whether Beard will ask for a recount.
If Laymon holds on to her lead, Democrats will have captured two more county board seats. The GOP would still control the county board with an 11-9 majority.
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