No winner declared yet in 76th District State Representative race

The wait continues in naming a winner between State Representative Frank Mautino and Republican challenger Jerry Long.

Mautino led Long by about 340 votes after Election night but both candidates agree that all absentee and provisional ballots should be given time to be counted. La Salle County Clerk JoAnne Caretto says her county alone won’t be enough to change the election outcome.

At most Caretto thinks just under 300 ballots could be added to the vote total by time they officially canvass the election results. By state law if an absentee ballot is postmarked the day before the election, you have to give it two weeks to arrive before discounting the ballot.

Even if La Salle County’s remaining votes don’t help Long to overtake Mautino, he still has votes to be counted in Bureau, Putnam and parts of Livingston County.