Sangamon County Clerk Don Gray confirmed that 455 late-arriving mail-in and provisional ballots were opened, tabulated, and added to the final count on Tuesday, November 19, resolving two razor-thin races.
In the Recorder's race, Republican Frank Lesko defeated Democrat Josh Langfelder by just 31 votes, unseating the county’s lone Democratic Countywide officeholder. Meanwhile, in County Board District 25, incumbent Jennifer Ghesquiere Deaner secured victory by narrowly defeating Jennifer Merritt by seven votes.
With these results, Republicans now hold all countywide offices. This election cycle saw Republican victories for State’s Attorney John Milhiser, Circuit Clerk Joe Roesch, Coroner Jim Allmon, and Auditor Andy Goleman, alongside Lesko’s win.
On the County Board, all incumbents—both Republican and Democrat—were re-elected. Deaner’s victory maintains the Republicans' commanding 21-8 majority on the board.
Lesko, Springfield’s City Clerk, campaigned on a plan to eliminate the Recorder’s Office and merge its functions with the County Clerk’s Office, a move he says will streamline operations and save taxpayer dollars. This initiative is expected to be a key focus of his tenure.
Gray noted that candidates in races decided by less than 5% may request a discovery recount to ensure confidence in the final results.