Shambley currently leads in 1st Subcircuit race, Ori lead holding in the 8th Subcircuit

Ashley Greer Shambley has nosed ahead of Tiffany N. Brooks in the latest update in the race for the 1st Subcircuit Walker vacancy, according to the most recent figures released by the Chicago Board of Elections.

The lead is only 55 votes, 16,257 for Shambley to 16,202 for Brooks. These figures were last updated at noon yesterday (Sunday, March 22). On Election Night, Brooks had a nearly 400 vote lead over Shambley, but the lead had narrowed to only 304 votes in the update published here Friday.

Meanwhile, in the race for the Gamrath vacancy in the 8th Subcircuit, Kathleen Cunniff Ori's lead over Elizabeth Christina Dibler now stands at 202 votes, 14,374 to 14,172.

In Friday's update, Brooks had 15,829 votes to Shambley's 15,525. Shambley gained 732 votes over the weekend, while Brooks' total increased by only 373.

In the 8th Subcircuit, Ori's Election Night lead over Dibler was 12,649 to 12,478. Ori has gained 1,725 votes since (a gain of 1,291 from Friday's update) while Dibler is up 1,694 votes since I surrendered myself to the arms of Morpheus last Tuesday night.

The CBOE says that there may be daily updates in these totals through March 31.

Both of these races had three contestants. Falling victim to the horse race mentality which pollutes election reporting, I have focused here only on the top two finishers. But I am certain that the third-place finishers in both races have also gained votes as VBM ballots are counted.

And that's the policy question that transcends the outcome of these two races: In these races VBM is clearly a significant percentage of the overall vote. Why is that a good thing? I understand completely that VBM may be necessary for persons afflicted by age or illness... but should we be making this an attractive, viable option for healthy people who could easily get to the polls (or vote early in person)? And, if we the people really want VBM, why the heck can't we insist that all VBM ballots must be postmarked a week before Election Day, so that we don't have these dribble-drabble vote counts in close races?

Obviously, these drawn-out elections are torture for the candidates involved -- but is there some benefit to the public that justifies their discomfiture? What benefit does the public receive from election 'nights' that turn into election fortnights?

I'll hang up now and listen for your answers.