BLOOMINGTON - For a city of 75,000, the race for Bloomington mayor will be determined by a handful of votes. | VIDEO: Election night parties | PHOTOS: Election Day

Mayor Steve Stockton had an 11-vote margin over his leading rival, Tari Renner, after the initial results of Tuesday's election, but the results aren't final.

Renner said he will ask the Bloomington Election Commission for a recount once the final vote is canvassed "to ensure that every vote was counted accurately.

"With a dozen provisional ballots and potentially dozens more absentee ballots left to be counted, we learn that patience is an essential part of democracy," Renner added.

Stockton said he was not surprised by Renner's announcement about a recount request.

"I assume that is his right to do so," Stockton said. "My campaign will have to participate to ensure that it is done fairly and we will do that."

Stockton gathered 3,563 votes while Renner had 3,552. Political newcomer Eric Decossas drew 1,463 votes in a three-way contest that became heated over the city's budget woes.

"I'd rather be 11 votes up rather than 11 votes down, but anything can still happen," Stockton said.

Attempts to reach Decossas after Renner's announcement, which came shortly before midnight, were not successful.

A final canvass of the votes won't be completed for at least two weeks, said Char Stanford, executive director of the Bloomington Election Commission.

Stockton's 11-vote margin could be reversed once absentee and the 12 provisional ballots cast in the race are tallied, Stanford said.

Stockton, 61, a retired State Farm Insurance Cos. vice president, noted the totals show the importance of each person casting a ballot.

Decossas, 39, a State Farm business analyst, said he drew votes from Stockton and Renner.

Renner, 50, a political science professor at Illinois Wesleyan University and a McLean County Board member, said he knew the race was going to be close.

The election commission has to wait 14 days to ensure all the absentee ballots cast in the race have arrived by mail. Absentee ballots must have been postmarked by midnight Monday, Stanford said.

Once the two-week wait is over, the Board of Election Commissioners has up to one week to certify the final canvass of votes. After the final canvass is certified, candidates can request a discovery recount.

Stanford said it is possible the winner of the race won't be determined before May 1, the start of the mayor's term.