DECATUR, Ill. (WAND) - Tentative dates have been added to the 2018 Macon County sheriff race trial that could extend it into 2021. 

The race between Democrat Tony Brown and Republican Jim Root, which initially came down to one vote, led to a trial involving 1,337 contested ballots. After previously being delayed twice, the trial had dates set for Dec. 10 and Dec. 18.

On Thursday evening, tentative dates of Dec. 29 and Jan. 20 were added. In the first part of the trial, officials spent the afternoon entering each contested ballot into evidence so they can be referenced in case there is an appeal of the final result. Results are no longer expected by Dec. 18. 

Root's attorney, John Fogarty, said in opening statements there were 223 ballots without election judge signatures, with 99 of those for Brown and 88 for Root. It was agreed ballots without election signatures would be taken out of the total, but Fogarty said his side will dispute 26 that have more issues than just no signatures. 

Fogarty said findings from the full recount had Root with 19,571 votes and Brown with 19,554 votes.Â