By Angela Hatton
Springfield, IL – The deadline has arrived for counting ballots in the virtually tied Republican race for Illinois governor. Today is the last day absentee ballots can be counted by local election authorities. The Illinois GOP is closely watching the vote totals because their party's February 2 primary ended with state Senator Bill Brady of Bloomington just a few hundred votes ahead of state Senator Kirk Dillard of Hinsdale. State Board of Elections officials say the state won't officially certify the election results until March 5. It's unclear whether the GOP will ask for a recount.