Denis Cyr is the declared winner of the 5th District Peoria City Council seat.
He beat Rita Ali by one vote, 1,786 to 1,785. That was the determination of the Peoria County Election Commission yesterday before they could certified the April 4th election results. Cyr says he is excited about his victory and took last night to share dinner and celebrate with his family, friends and supporters.
But Ali isn’t so fast to call the race complete. She says she is seeking a discovery recount.
“We believe that the evidence found in the discovery recount will lead us to an election contest that we believe will change the result of the contest,” Ali said.
Ali will not specify what evidence her campaign is seeking in the formal recount. But that will allow her team to review the election results in up to a quarter of the precincts in the district race.
Should there be a question of irregularity, Ali will have the basis of a court challenge.
Last month, when Amr Elsamny lost the Peoria City Council at-large primary by one vote, he also contested the matter in circuit court. The judge dismissed that case, twice.