* Cook County Clerk David Orr just called to fill us in on what’s going on with their count.

They have 24 precincts that haven’t yet been processed, mainly because of the same sort of cartridge problem that the city had. Those will be counted and then totals released in a couple of hours.

The county also has 9600 absentee ballots that aren’t counted, plus another 900 which came in today. Some of those that arrived today will, if history is a guide, be invalid because they were mailed after Monday’s deadline. Every day, they’ll see fewer and fewer absentee ballots come in, and fewer of those will be valid because of the postmark issue.

The absentees that they have now will likely be counted by Friday. They need to check to make sure that these people didn’t vote on election day.

The clerk also has 3600 provisional ballots. Historically, Orr said, about a quarter of those will be deemed valid.

I’d heard that there are tons of Republican lawyers hanging out at the city’s election board digs, and Orr confirmed that there were a bunch of GOP attorneys in his shop as well. So far, though, I’ve received no communication from the Republicans about any problems they’ve seen.

Orr also said that he’s called around and a bunch of counties aren’t releasing their absentee ballot totals. Kane County has about 1400 uncounted absentees, Orr said. Bill Brady beat Pat Quinn 69,497 to 49,574 in Kane (54-38). But, keep in mind that the Democratic coordinated campaign sent out all those late absentee applications.

* Also, according to the AP, Gov Quinn’s lead is 9,494 votes.

…Adding… We now have video of Brady’s Bloomington presser. Watch…

…Adding More… 2:02 pm While y’all are doing your figuring about where the uncounted vote is and what it means, I thought you might like a copy of this question on the exit poll…

       

41 Comments - Quinn T. Sential - Wednesday, Nov 3, 10 @ 1:21 pm: {But, keep in mind that the Democratic coordinated campaign sent out all those late absentee applications.} For clarification purposes; you are not suggesting that the DCC sent all 1,400 ballot applications in Kane County are you? Of the one’s the DCC did send, many may be invalid either by voters becoming aware, and then having subsequently gone to the polling places and cas their vote their instead. In addition, those that did receive them, but received them late and submitted them late may have their ballots invalidated due to the timing issue. Is there any such similar issue that is known with a coordinated R Absentee program in Kane? While there could be some ground to be made up their by Brady, I still don’t believe it will be anywhere near enough. Once Cook/Chicago decides on the number necessary to make them very comfortable for Quinn, they will find a way to get there, perhaps with some room to spare. - Quinn T. Sential - Wednesday, Nov 3, 10 @ 1:22 pm: P.S. Based on my analysis it is very unlikely; if not impossible for bean to make up the entire difference in the 6 uncounted precincts in Cook County. I could be surprised however. See above for more details. - wordslinger - Wednesday, Nov 3, 10 @ 1:25 pm: –I’d heard that there are tons of Republican lawyers hanging out at the city’s election board digs..– Maybe if there had been tons of Republicans knocking on doors on the Northwest and Southwest sides plus suburban Cook Townships in the days before the election…. - just sayin' - Wednesday, Nov 3, 10 @ 1:25 pm: Brady Bunch to sue. Says extra shark costumes weren’t delivered on time. Give it up sore losers. You lost fair and square. - just sayin' - Wednesday, Nov 3, 10 @ 1:26 pm: And amen wordslinger. Exactly right. - IrishPirate - Wednesday, Nov 3, 10 @ 1:31 pm: Bill Brady believes he will win. I believe Angelina Jolie and Megan Fox are going to show up at my door shortly. Hopefully that process won’t take the 30 days Governor( I mean Senator) Brady speaks of. It also seems young Jason was rather bored during this video. The GOP blew it by nominating this guy. The Dems blew it by nominating Alexi. Call it a day guys. In the end the yin and the yang all balance outt. - DoubleDown - Wednesday, Nov 3, 10 @ 1:31 pm: Thank Rich for your fine site..I learned alot this cycle from your site and the other people who comment here. The people here are not like other sites as Huffington post and Democratic Underground. I am a republican however and I do think Brady should concede - Dennis - ChrisChicago82-Independent - Wednesday, Nov 3, 10 @ 1:38 pm: Either this is a game of wishful thinking on the part of the Brady camp, or they must truly be smarter then all of us. I just dont see where the votes are going to come from. - Another Anonymous - Wednesday, Nov 3, 10 @ 1:42 pm: I don’t think Brady will win… But the process has certain timeframes for a reason - because it can take time to get an accurate count. He has every right to let the process proceed according to the law and to see the results. The fact that all us political junkies want it wrapped up really doesn’t matter. Everyone should just chill out and let them count the remaining votes just as they have counted the other votes. Every vote counts. - just sayin' - Wednesday, Nov 3, 10 @ 1:45 pm: Someone needs to call out Pat Brady on the gotv efforts he claimed. Yesterday proved the IL GOP wasn’t doing what it was claiming in its press releases. John Kass is another big loser yesterday. Mike Madigan was driven back to his seat total of about 4 years ago. Another rebuke that wasn’t. - Richard Afflis - Wednesday, Nov 3, 10 @ 1:47 pm: Has there EVER been a case where the person leading prior to the absentee, provisional, and military ballots were counted has lost? - Joe the Voter - Wednesday, Nov 3, 10 @ 1:49 pm: So let me get this straight. If Brady somehow wins he will be happy. But if he loses he will sue to true to force a “fair vote”? Hmmm?? With that logic shouldn’t he sue either way?? Talk about smearing mud in your own direction!!! - SangamoGOP - Wednesday, Nov 3, 10 @ 1:50 pm: How is it the IL GOP “wasn’t doing what it was claiming?” IL GOP GOTV efforts saw Kirk, Hultgren, Schilling, Kinzinger, Dold, Walsh, Topinka, and Rutherford all elected. The targeted calls the IL GOP made id’d voters and pushed them to go and vote for GOP candidates NOT just Brady. What the IL GOP needs to look at is the GOP voters in the Collars who voted for Kirk and then went with Quinn. - Heartless Libertarian - Wednesday, Nov 3, 10 @ 1:52 pm: 2010 Illinois reminds me of the 2004 national election. The incumbent wins because of fear-mongering against his opponent. Well, we have all seen how that worked out. A seemingly nice guy, who is a bungler turns heal and people love it. Politics just has to be a demented reality show for the masses… and it seems like that’s the way they want it. Good luck, Pat. But something tells me your fate is already sealed with MJM calling the shots. - Ghost - Wednesday, Nov 3, 10 @ 1:54 pm: === He has every right to let the process proceed according to the law and to see the results. === sure just as any opponent who conceded could have just let the process proceed. There is a bit of grace and dignity to conceding your loss, even if it is not required. - Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Nov 3, 10 @ 1:54 pm: ===Either this is a game of wishful thinking on the part of the Brady camp, or they must truly be smarter then all of us.=== Do we really want to hash out how smart the Paid Campaign Staff of Brady/Plummer actually is … if that paid staff was so smart, Brady would have “found” 1 more vote a precinct. Pathetic. - Highland, IL - Wednesday, Nov 3, 10 @ 1:55 pm: Poor Jason doesn’t look comfortable standing behind Bill…… - Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Nov 3, 10 @ 1:57 pm: ===Maybe if there had been tons of Republicans knocking on doors on the Northwest and Southwest sides plus suburban Cook Townships in the days before the election….=== wordslinger, I know I am on the right track when I see you ahead of me saying it. A-Men! - Joe the Voter - Wednesday, Nov 3, 10 @ 1:57 pm: It was a great show of the will of the people. Time to move forward. I, for one, am tired of all the politicizing–ad nauseum - Both Sides Now - Wednesday, Nov 3, 10 @ 1:58 pm: SangamoGOP - Just because they voted for Kirk and not Brady doesn’t mean they voted for Quinn. There were 3 other candidates for Governor which took 7% of the vote while in the Senate race there were only 2 additional choices which took 5%. Obviously, that 2% could make a difference. Looks to me like they didn’t like Brady as much as they liked Kirk. - (618) Democrat - Wednesday, Nov 3, 10 @ 2:01 pm: ABC 7 updated at 13:55 has Quinn up 10,174 - (618) Democrat - Wednesday, Nov 3, 10 @ 2:05 pm: ABC just updated again. Quinn up 12,344 - Statesman - Wednesday, Nov 3, 10 @ 2:05 pm: ===Maybe if there had been tons of Republicans knocking on doors on the Northwest and Southwest sides plus suburban Cook Townships in the days before the election….=== aka No ground game in the jungle known as cook county. - Quinn T. Sential - Wednesday, Nov 3, 10 @ 2:07 pm: {There is a bit of grace and dignity to conceding your loss, even if it is not required.} There is also a bit of bewilderment when; in the process of being dignified and graceful, you thank every chief cook and bottle washer that volunteered for your campaign, but then do not offer one word of gratitude to the President of the United States, who traveled here repeatedly on your behalf, cut advertisements, raised money and rally voters for your cause. Am I the only one who found that omission odd? What’s the speculation, was there a call from the President, or from Axelrod, suggesting “hey, leave us out of this, we have had a tough enough night already” - Skeeter - Wednesday, Nov 3, 10 @ 2:07 pm: Are those GOP lawyers billing by the hour for sitting around today? If so, to whom should I sent my resume for the position of GOP election lawyer? Sounds like a good gig. - ChuckT - Wednesday, Nov 3, 10 @ 2:08 pm: Jason is freaky weird up there. - just sayin' - Wednesday, Nov 3, 10 @ 2:08 pm: Brady’s not going to find the votes he needs. In fact Quinn’s winning margin is likely to get larger. But maybe they’ll finally find Plummer’s tax returns. - MikeMacD - Wednesday, Nov 3, 10 @ 2:08 pm: “Has there EVER been a case where the person leading prior to the absentee, provisional, and military ballots were counted has lost?” I believe the then Sen. Coleman was leading in his Minn. Senate race before the final canvass which then flipped to Al Franken when it was finished. I don’t remember how close it was. I’m under the impression that the totals in these races are subject to human error in the reporting process (transpositional errors, hearing problems, etc.) as I don’t think everything is totally automated. I’d be happy to be corrected on this point. - Justica O ! - Wednesday, Nov 3, 10 @ 2:13 pm: Scott Lee Cohen pawned this race for Brady. Brady’s paid staff GOTV efforts = fail. The numbers coming in from uncounted precincts are increasing Quinn’s margin by the hour it seems- which according to AP is now over 12,000. Brady needs to show some class and dignity by conceding on Friday at the latest. - Rich Miller - Wednesday, Nov 3, 10 @ 2:16 pm: ===I don’t remember how close it was.=== Try the Google. Coleman was leading by over 700 votes on election night, but the certified number was 215 two weeks later. This isn’t even close to that. - Mongo - Wednesday, Nov 3, 10 @ 2:17 pm: QTS, do you also believe in goblins? Why do people insist the machine is alive and well? Sure, there are people who gain a connection to a person of influence…but that happens on both sides of the aisle, in all states, and in all of the last 15 decades. To “predict” the “machine” will determine the amount needed and then manufacture those votes is truly sour grapes. Brady had the momentum. He had the endorsements. My goodness Quinn shoots himself in the foot every week. What happened, if it stays this way, is that the Democrats regained their base and all the unhappiness about Quinn evaporated because Brady is so far right of center. Face it…the R’s had a better candidate in Dillard. - LakeCountyLarry - Wednesday, Nov 3, 10 @ 2:18 pm: For sure, Brady aka “who is this guy?” is proving to be one sore loser. High-time he finds refuge in his totally lackluster and virtually unaccomplished Illinois Senate seat again. - Demoralized - Wednesday, Nov 3, 10 @ 2:18 pm: I think SangamoGOP is absolutely right. I’ve had many tell me they voted for Kirk and then voted for Quinn or one of the other candidates. My wife voted for Cohen as a “protest.” I thought that was stupid and weird, but I don’t get to vote for her (at least not in the county I live in). - soccermom - Wednesday, Nov 3, 10 @ 2:21 pm: The reason a wise candidate concedes when it’s clear there is no hope is to let the wheels of government start rolling — as best they can — instead of trying to put things in a holding pattern for a month or two. Brady has lost this one. Now he is in the process of losing his dignity. - Quinn T. Sential - Wednesday, Nov 3, 10 @ 2:25 pm: Mongo, I actively worked for Dillard, and did not do the same for Brady. Don’t be so thin skinned. I have no sour grapes for Quinn’s victory; I think it was impressive under the circumstances. The point that I was trying to make is that; if the election results drew the race closer, rather than created further distance, then the qualifications of eligibility for a “provisional vote” could suddenly be expanded to meet the changing circumstances, much the same way forensic experts were devining voter intent with the “hanging chads” in Florida back in 2000. - train111 - Wednesday, Nov 3, 10 @ 2:29 pm: Two more updates: Cook: Quinn +5375 Brady +2525 DuPage Quinn +803 Brady +1296 train111 - Scott Fawell's Cellmate - Wednesday, Nov 3, 10 @ 2:36 pm: Question for Bill Brady: Kirk Dillard was down by 420 votes after the February primary and stated he “want[ed] to do everything possible to avoid a recount, but if its around a hundred votes or less, then a recount is a possibility.” (http://tinyurl.com/2dsbzcy) Would you seek a recount if you trail Quinn by more than 100 votes ? - Fast Eddie - Wednesday, Nov 3, 10 @ 2:39 pm: SangamoGOP- It appears that Brady was too far from the middle even for Republican types. Had Dillard been nominated this probably would have been another Republican victory. But like in Delaware and Nevada, when your candidate is WAY out of the mainstream people notice. If Schillerstrom and Jim Ryan had kept out of the race, Dillard would have been easily nominated and probably elected. - Mclean GOP - Wednesday, Nov 3, 10 @ 3:01 pm: i thought that the 3rd party candidates would have had about 3% more of the vote. mainly from democratic voters. i had this race at 46% for brady 44% for quinn and 10% for others. I’m surprised at the results, but not shocked - zatoichi - Wednesday, Nov 3, 10 @ 3:18 pm: So when there are “tons of Republican lawyers hanging out at the city’s election board digs”, who is paying for their billing time or are they free volunteers? - Ahoy - Wednesday, Nov 3, 10 @ 5:13 pm: To add on to Fast Eddie, I think if Dillard would have been nominated, the R’s would have had a very good shot at taking over the house. 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