Posted by John Chase and Rick Pearson at 10:13 a.m.
Scott Lee Cohen’s letter withdrawing his nomination as Democratic nominee for lieutenant governor was received today by state election officials.
Dan White, executive director for the Illinois State Board of Election, said the letter was dropped off this morning at the state offices.
Cohen had handed the letter to an attorney for state Democratic Party Chairman Michael Madigan on Friday with the intent that they would submit the resignation letter when government offices opened today.
White said with the withdrawal papers now in hand, Cohen will be officially removed as the Democratic nominee when the election results are certified, which is scheduled for March 5. Democratic Party leaders have yet to formalize their plans for picking a replacement for the November general election.
Meanwhile, the Republican contest for governor between state Sens. Bill Brady of Bloomington and Kirk Dillard of Hinsdale may also come down to that March 5 date with about 400 votes separating the two.
Several election boards and county election officials are counting the last absentee and some provisional ballots today, but have until next week to canvass the results before sending them on to Springfield to be certified by the State Board of Elections.
A decision on the first steps toward a potential recount isn’t likely until after the state certifies the election totals.