By Howard Packowitz

NORMAL – The disputed results for mayor of Normal might come down to voters’ handwriting.

Ahead of a discovery recount scheduled next week, the candidates and their representatives are comparing voters’ signatures from the time they registered and when they actually cast their ballots April 4th.

Challenger Marc Tiritilli was down by only 11 votes to incumbent Mayor Chris Koos after the county clerk counted absentee and provisional ballots. Tiritilli and his supporters are examining signatures from each of the seven precincts selected for the discovery recount.

Koos and his team are closely watching the process. The mayor noted that signatures at the time of registration and election day could be decades apart.

“Because people get older, sometimes their handwriting changes,” said Koos. “They may have been ‘James Smith’, and now they’re signing ‘Jim Smith,’ and so they’re listing those to possibly call into question,” the mayor added.

Koos said he and his backers will have to find as many of these voters as possible, and ask them to sign affidavits that they did in fact vote April 4th.

The McLean County Clerk has scheduled the discovery recount for three days next week. Tiritilli has until May 25 to request a full recount of the election results.

Howard Packowitz can be reached at [email protected].