Partial recount complete in tight Normal Mayor’s race, Tiritilli to consider full recount

 

Chris Koos and Marc Tiritilli
Normal Mayor Chris Koos defeated challenger Marc Tiritilli by 11 votes in the April 4 election. (WJBC file photo)

 

By Howard Packowitz

BLOOMINGTON The discovery recount has been completed in Normal’s mayoral race, and it’s up to the challenger to decide what’s next.

The two-day partial recount, at the request of mayoral candidate Marc Tiritilli, gave him the chance to investigate potential voting errors that would justify a recount of all precincts.

The April 4 election left Tiritilli only 11 votes behind three-term incumbent Mayor Chris Koos, and Tiritilli appeared to lose a vote when it was determined Tuesday that a ballot jammed and was counted twice for the challenger.

Tiritilli’s team examined seven polling places in the discovery recount, or a quarter of all Normal precincts, photographing each ballot.

Tiritilli is also examining voters’ handwriting, comparing it to signatures when they registered to vote. Tiritilli said his team found “dozens and dozens” of mismatches that might be presented before the court.

He has until May 25 to decide whether to request a full recount. Posting on Facebook, Tiritilli thanked supporters and said he’ll take some time to analyze information obtained from the discovery recount and decide how to proceed.

Howard Packowitz can be reached at [email protected]

Blogs

Labor Day – Expanding voting rights for all

By Mike Matejka Because of COVID, there is no Labor Day Parade this year.  It’s always a great event for our everyday workers to march proudly down the street and enjoys the festive crowd. If there had been a parade, this year’s Labor Day theme was to be “150 years of struggle: your right to vote.” …

Is federal mobilization the answer?

By Mike Matejka As President Donald Trump threatens to send federal marshals into Chicago, over the objections of Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker, recall another Illinois Governor who protested the incursion of armed federal personnel into the city.   Those federal troops, rather than calming, escalated the situation, leading to deaths and violence. Illinois poet Vachel Lindsay…

In these troubled times, to my fellow white Americans

By Mike Matejka Our nation is at a unique watershed in human relations. African-Americans have been killed too many times in the past before George Floyd, but the response to this man’s death is international and all-encompassing. I was a grade-schooler during the Civil Rights 1960s. I watched Birmingham demonstrators hosed and the Selma – Montgomery…

Workers’ Memorial Day – Remember those whose job took their life

Looking around our community, when we say employer, most will respond to State Farm, Country, or Illinois State University.   We too often forget those who are building our roads, serving our food, or our public employees. COVID-19 has made us more aware of the risk.  Going to work every day for some people means…