ROCK ISLAND, Ill.—
The Rock Island mayor's race was decided by just 15 votes, but the runner-up David Levin says he'll contest the results.Dennis Pauley won the Rock Island's mayor's office, but Levin Tuesday night told his supporters he wants every vote to be counted and there could be errors.
At the Rock Island County Clerk's office Wednesday afternoon, workers had already started recounting six voting centers in from the county. The state decides randomly which ones will be up for the count. This time it was three from Rock Island, two from Moline and one from Milan. This count happens regardless how close the races are, but as the Rock Island ballots go through the machines for a second time, the candidates will get an accurate look at how close the race came.
The county clerk, Dick Leibovitz, says because the results are so close, if David Levin chooses he can petition to have a discovery which is to have his team look at 25 percent of the vote, 9 precincts.
Leibovitz says, "A discovery does not change the outcome of the election it's simply is the process that a candidate is within 5 percent can ask for."
Levin says, "My campaign manager and my campaign staff are looking at these things right now so the next few days the next couple weeks time will tell and we'll see where we land."
Levin says he has two more weeks because that's when the vote becomes official. After that happens, he can petition for discovery and if his team finds any discrepancies in the count they would have to take that to a judge. A judge would then decide whether a recount would be allowed.
