Democrat declares victory in close race for 51st Illinois House District

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Helene Miller Walsh and Mary Edly-Allen were one vote apart on election night in the race for the 51st District seat in the Illinois House of Representatives, according to returns as reported by The Associated Press.

A finalized ballot count in Lake County showed that Edly-Allen, a Democrat, edged out her Republican opponent. The results as of Nov. 21, which had Edly-Allen ahead by 374 votes, will be certified on Nov. 27.

“From the bottom of my heart, I want to extend a sincere thank yo to the thousands of voters who have chosen to place their trust in me, as well as the hundreds of dedicated volunteers who helped me get my message out to the community and stood by my side as we fought to ensure every vote was counted,” Edly-Allen said.

The Sun-Times endorsed Edly-Allen for the 51st District Illinois House seat, saying she “favors re-amortizing the state’s pension debt and would vote to legalize recreational marijuana, as long as best practices are used to regulate it.”

Edly-Allen is a bilingual teacher and president of her local parent-teacher organization. She has a long record of civic and educational involvement in Lake County and is a founder of the non-profit organization Foundation 46.

Miller Walsh was appointed to State Representative of the 51st District in August after Rep. Nick Sauer resigned for being accused of posting nude photos of his ex-girlfriend. She is the founder and chief operating officer of Leenie Productions and founder and chief executive officer of Whim Wham Books. Walsh’s husband is former Congressman and Tea Party radio show host Joe Walsh.

For live election results, visit the Sun-Times election guide.