From today’s Chicago Sun-Times:
Six days after the final vote was cast, a state constitutional amendment guaranteeing collective bargaining rights inched close enough to passage Monday that its supporters declared victory.
“Yes for Workers’ Rights!” Gov. J.B. Pritzker tweeted.
But opponents insist it might take another three weeks to know which side has reason to pop the champagne corks.
Joining the governor in claiming victory on Monday were the Democratic Party of Illinois, labor unions and organizers behind the proposed amendment — which would add protections for workers seeking to unionize and stop Illinois from becoming a “right-to-work” state.
But the Illinois Policy Institute, a right-leaning think tank that helped lead the fight against the amendment, wasn’t ready to throw in the towel.
The Associated Press has not claimed victory for either side, but the news organization reported that with about 99% of the votes counted, support for the amendment was at 58.1% compared to 41.8% in opposition.
That’s short of the 60% that would ensure its passage.
But the amendment has another pathway to success: winning a simple majority of all persons voting in the election.
Read the complete story here.