The Cook County State's Attorney race between Eileen O'Neill Burke and Clayton Harris remains undecided as mail-in ballots are still being counted. The Cook County Clerk's Office provided an update on Thursday, highlighting the uncertainty surrounding the Democratic nomination.

As of Wednesday evening, O'Neill Burke had a slight lead with 51% of the votes, while Harris trailed closely with 49%. However, with thousands of outstanding mail-in ballots yet to be counted, the final outcome of the Democratic nominee for Cook County State's Attorney remains unclear. The margin between O'Neill Burke and Harris is less than 9,000 votes.

According to the Cook County Clerk's Office, there are approximately 146,000 outstanding mail-in ballots across Cook County, with an additional 100,000 reported by the Chicago Board of Elections. Suburban Cook County has received 50,000 of the 96,000 mail-in ballots requested.

Both candidates addressed their respective supporters after polls closed. O'Neill Burke expressed cautious optimism about the outcome, emphasizing her belief in creating a justice system that works for every community in Cook County. Harris urged patience among his supporters, highlighting his campaign's focus on safety and justice as complementary.

The counting process for the mail-in ballots began on Thursday, with election judges responsible for opening, adjudicating, and scanning the ballots. The results from these ballots will be added to the unofficial election results, providing a clearer picture of the race.

The tight race in the Cook County State's Attorney race underscores the divergent views within the county regarding criminal justice. ABC7 Political Analyst Laura Washington elucidated that there is a stark contrast in the approach to addressing crime, with Harris advocating for criminal justice and fighting crime, while others favor more stringent reforms.

It remains uncertain whether a recount will be necessary for this race. State law grants election officials until April 2 to count late-arriving ballots, but Chicago and Cook County officials expect to have a winner declared before then. Although Illinois law does not mandate an automatic recount, the losing candidate can request one if they are within 5% of the winning candidate's count.

The outcome of the Cook County State's Attorney race may be influenced by the outstanding mail-in ballots. Approximately 160,000 mail-in ballots remain uncounted in the Democratic primary, posing the question of whether there are enough votes for Harris to bridge the approximately 11,000-vote gap between himself and leading candidate O'Neill Burke.

Election officials anticipate having a clearer idea of the winner by the weekend, with final results expected to be uploaded early next week. The suspense surrounding the Cook County State's Attorney race reflects the significance of criminal justice reform in the hearts and minds of Cook County voters.