BELLEVILLE – Write in candidate Ron Duebbert, who needed seven votes in a final count of primary ballots to run for state’s attorney in November, picked up one.
It raised his total from 216 to 217, leaving him six short of qualification.
Duebbert, a Republican, filed to pursue a write in campaign for the March 17 primary after Illinois court commissioners removed him as judge.
A write in candidate must declare candidacy or the ballot won’t offer the option.
No Republican had circulated petitions for the primary, so Duebbert would have won a spot on the November ballot if 223 persons had written him in.
He could still win a spot if the party’s St. Clair County central committee slates him.
On March 31, committee chair Barb Viviano responded to a question about support for slating Duebbert by hanging up.
On primary day, unofficial results showed 655 Republican voters exercised the write in option for State’s Attorney.
Precinct judges found that only about a third of them spelled out Ron Duebbert or a name close enough to establish intent.
A vote for "Duberg" passed the test.
Two thirds of those who exercised the option wrote other names or pulled pranks.
Someone wrote in Mickey Mouse, a fixture in American elections.
Someone wrote in fictional criminal defense attorney Perry Mason.
Many wrote names of persons who didn’t file as write in candidates.
Tom Hanks and Tim Allen received votes, but they don’t live in St. Clair County.
Duebbert didn’t suffer alone.
In O’Fallon precinct 6, where Fred Boch ran a write in campaign for Republican precinct committeeman, 19 persons exercised the option.
Eight cast valid votes for Boch.
After March 17, the county received 454 ballots with postmarks before that date.
They represented 1.3 percent of all primary ballots, and they required a day of counting on March 31.
Among 63 Republican ballots, one specified Duebbert.
Counting has ended but results remain unofficial until April 7, when the county completes its canvass.