Drop box or mail-in ballots just "found" in Chicago that may effect razor-thin Cook County state's attorney race

Oh no, another "found ballots" story. 

Primary election Day was Tuesday in Illinois

Eileen O'Neill Burke and Clayton Harris III are the Democratic candidates for Cook County state's attorney. Cook County is Chicago and the inner suburbs. I live in Cook and I voted for Burke, as Harris promises to continue the pro-criminal "prosecution" policies of Jussie Smollett's protector, Kim Foxx.

Mail-in ballots are still being counted, currently O'Neill Burke, a retired state appellate judge is leading by about 4,000 votes. Mail-in ballots are still arriving.

But suddenly thousands of drop box ballots have just been discovered. Or are they mail-in ballots? 

Details are still coming in. But right now, this story is combining the debacles of the 2000 Florida presidential election recounts and the 2020 Trump-Biden race.

Really?

Chicago is not Alaska, even if you are walking, you can make it to downtown from the farthest place within city limits in a few hours on asphalt or concrete--while carrying drop box ballots. 

And barbells.

From the Twitter feed of Ald. Brian Hopkins of the 2nd Ward. 

After counting what was ostensibly the remaining mail-in ballots, Eileen O’Neill Burke maintains a lead of more than 4,000. BUT…election staff now say they have "found" thousands of ballots with no postmarks, that were placed in drop boxes. They intend to count them tomorrow.

after counting what was ostensibly the remaining mail-in ballots, Eileen O’Neill Burke maintains a lead of more than 4,000. BUT…election staff now say they have “found” thousands of ballots with no postmarks, that were placed in drop boxes. They intend to count them tomorrow.

— Alderman Hopkins (@AldermanHopkins) March 23, 2024

 More from Twitter, from the Chicago Board of Elections Twitter feed:

Statement from Max Bever, Director of Public Information, Chicago Board of Elections: 

“In adding up the total number of Vote By Mail ballots the Board had received back so far, I mistakenly left out additional ballots that had been received back via USPS the evening of Mon, 3/18. 

I traded speed for accuracy in reporting out numbers this week as quickly as I could. I truly regret this error on my part and for the confusion that it has caused the voters of Chicago. I will share updated numbers only when they are accurate and verified."

I traded speed for accuracy in reporting out numbers this week as quickly as I could. I truly regret this error on my part and for the confusion that it has caused the voters of Chicago. I will share updated numbers only when they are accurate and verified.

— Chicago Board of Elections (@ChicagoElection) March 23, 2024

Has Max Bever resigned in disgrace yet?

Wake me up from this bad dream when it's over. Then again, maybe not.

UPDATE March 24 9:30am CDT:

Hopkins deleted his X post from last night, replacing it with this one.

Correction: after counting what was stated as most of the remaining mail-in & dropbox ballots, EOB holds a 4,000+ lead. BUT…election staff told me they misstated the total number of remaining ballots, and 14,710 more (most are dropbox, so not postmarked) still must be counted.

Correction: after counting what was stated as most of the remaining mail-in & dropbox ballots, EOB holds a 4,000+ lead. BUT…election staff told me they misstated the total number of remaining ballots, and 14,710 more (most are dropbox, so not postmarked) still must be counted.

— Alderman Hopkins (@AldermanHopkins) March 24, 2024

UPDATE March 24: 

I've fleshed-out this post over at Da Tech Guy.