MACON COUNTY, Ill. (WAND) – GOP leaders in Macon County want Jim Root to be declared the winner in the sheriff race.
A letter obtained by WAND-TV says the discovery of two votes for Jim Root in the Hickory Point 1 precinct means he should be the winner. Tony “Chubby” Brown was declared the winner and sworn into office in late November.
Root had a lead of 99 votes on election night. After the addition of provisional and mail-in ballots, Brown took a one-vote lead. Root began the process of a discovery recount in select precincts, which led to the two uncounted ballots.
The letter, which was sent to Macon County Clerk Steve Bean, says:
“The immediate correction, recall/withdrawal of the Nov. 20, 2018 proclamation that Tony ‘Chubby’ Brown was duly elected and issuance of a proclamation that Jim Root is the duly elected sheriff of Macon County by a count of 19,656 for Root to 19,655 for Brown is hereby demanded.”
On Monday night, Root told WAND-TV he reviewed and approved of the letter. He says the GOP is waiting on the Macon County State's Attorney to look over the letter and determine the county's course of action.
"It is the responsibility of the county to correct its mistake," Root said.
WAND-TV also reached out to the Macon County Democratic Party for comment about the letter Monday and did not immediately hear back. Brown told the station his focus right now is on the department and the community and added that, from his standpoint, "the election is over".
The full letter can be seen in the PDF document below.
