As vote counting continues in Illinois, Republican challenger Jim Oberweis' lead over incumbent Democrat Lauren Underwood in the 14th Congressional District race keeps shrinking.
Meanwhile, both camps have acknowledged a discovery recount that would allow a losing candidate to examine a percentage of ballots is possible. That data can be used to legally contest the election.
With The Associated Press' totals updated late Thursday night, Oberweis was ahead 189,489 to 188,861, a difference of 628 votes, unofficial results showed.
That margin is 88 fewer votes than it was earlier that afternoon, 265 fewer than on Wednesday and 2,421 fewer than on Election Day.
As of late Thursday, Oberweis, a state senator from Sugar Grove, had less than 50.1% of the vote. Underwood, a first-term congresswoman from Naperville, has more than 49.9%. The Associated Press has not called the contest.
The late-Thursday total reflected votes from additional mail-in ballots in Kane County, according to The Associated Press tally.
The updated tally still doesn't include all the votes cast in the race. Ballots postmarked by this past Tuesday that arrive at election offices by Nov. 17 will be counted, too, as will provisional ballots.
In a news conference Thursday afternoon, Underwood announced more than 11,000 mail-in ballots from the 14th District voters await counting in McHenry County, and more than 7,200 await counting in Lake County.
On Friday, Oberweis spokesman Travis Akin disputed those estimates.
"We have staff observers at every county clerk's office in the district and are getting updates in real time," Akin said. "Based on the reports we have received, we don't believe there are thousands of ballots to be counted in the 14th Congressional District."
Although Lake and McHenry are just two of the seven counties that intersect with the 14th District, Underwood said she was "confident" votes there will turn the tide her way and give her a reelection win.
Conversely, Akin insisted Oberweis will be victorious despite the changing numbers. Oberweis even declared victory in a video released to social media Wednesday -- but Team Underwood was quick to call that premature.
The Lake County clerk's office is expected to update its public tallies Nov. 10 and again Nov. 17. The McHenry County clerk is expected to release all its final totals Nov. 18.
DuPage and Kane counties have updated totals since Election Day. Kendall and Will counties are waiting until Nov. 17. DeKalb is waiting until Nov. 18.
As of vote counts available Friday, Oberweis was leading in DeKalb, Kendall, Lake and McHenry, according to The Associated Press. Underwood led in DuPage, Kane and Will counties. That hasn't changed since Election Day.
When asked about a possible recount, Underwood said her team has lawyers standing by and giving advice as the final votes come in. But she said she's focused on making sure all the votes cast in the race are counted.
The Oberweis campaign is raising money for a discovery recount, Akin said.
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Underwood continues to close in on Oberweis in 14th Congressional race - Chicago Daily Herald
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