Franken not conceding
[cnn-photo-caption image= http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2008/images/11/05/art.result.cnn.jpg caption=" The race for the Minnesota Senate is in a dead heat."]
(CNN) - Minnesota Senate challenger Al Franken is not conceding his race against incumbent GOP Sen. Norm Coleman.
The two men are separated by less than 600 votes with 100 percent of the precincts reporting. The Associated Press called the race for Coleman Wednesday morning.
"Under Minnesota state law, we will now enter into an automatic statewide canvass and recount," Franken said earlier Wednesday.
"The process, dictated by our laws, will be orderly, fair, and will take place within a matter of days. We won't know for a little while who won this race, but at the end of the day, we will know that the voice of the electorate was clearly heard."
UPDATE: The AP has uncalled the race for Coleman
Read Franken's full prepared statement after the jump
The Secretary of State's office reports that all but nine of Minnesota's 4,130 precincts have reported in. And this race is too close to call, with a margin of just about 1100 votes out of 2.9 million cast. That's four one-hundredths of one percent of the vote. And we expect that when those final nine precincts are counted this morning, that 1100-vote margin will shrink into the hundreds.
Under Minnesota state law, we will now enter into an automatic statewide canvass and recount. It will be the first one since 1962, when I was 11 years old. I remember that year very clearly for two reasons. The recount between Elmer L. Anderson and Karl Rolvaag. And the Gophers were in the Rose Bowl that year.
And we have twice as many ballots to count this time.
Let me be clear: Our goal is to ensure that every vote is properly counted.
The process, dictated by our laws, will be orderly, fair, and will take place within a matter of days. We won't know for a little while who won this race, but at the end of the day, we will know that the voice of the electorate was clearly heard.
There is reason to believe that the recount could change the vote tallies significantly.
Our office and the Obama campaign have received reports of irregularities at various precincts around the state. For instance, some polling places in Minneapolis ran out of registration materials. Our team has been working on those issues for several hours already, and they will continue to do so this morning as the recount process begins.
Let me be clear: This race is too close to call, and we do not yet know who won. We are lucky enough to live in a state with built-in protections to ensure that in close elections like these, the will of the people is accurately reflected in the outcome.
This has been a long campaign, and it's going to be a little longer before we have a winner. Senator Coleman, Senator Barkley, and I have done a lot of talking. Minnesotans have waited a long time to have THEIR say. And thanks to our state's laws, we will eventually understand precisely what they have said.
Sure sounds like sour grapes, Matt and Noah.
Al Franken is brilliant, and comedians are generally a lot smarter than typical politicians. Good luck Al!
Coleman is a joke and a sexual predator. This is the same state where republican people get caught on cameras saying Obama is an Arab. It is not surprising that the unintelligent out staters vote for Norm.
Matt, failed leaders like George Bush and failed, divisive political parties like the Republicans make people like Franken possible. Without Bush and his disastrous policies and politcal hacks manning the tiller of government, there could be no Al Franken.
correct me if i'm wrong but aren't you guys the ones who voted for a professional wrestler to be your governer? stop and think for 2 seconds before you criticize the left for what you deem as an outrageous candidate.
I personally voted for franken
Ronald Reagan, the right's messiah, was a bad actor before becoming president. I think that being a political satirist, which is an accurate description of Franken's comedic career, makes him far more qualified to hold office. The fact that he is an outspoken liberal and the race is this close just demonstrates the sea change that has taken place in American politics.
"he has never cared about anything beyond his own political ambitions"
This sounds a lot like the Norm Coleman Minnesotans have seen for too long.
When Coleman was a democrat, he should have gotten out of politics.
The state of Minnesota would have been better served if Norm Coleman had never been a politician.
But it is career politicians like Norm Coleman that make up the political landscape of our nation.
*THAT* is the biggest problem with our current political system.
Hey, if you don't live in Minnesota keep your opinions to yourself. Nobody here in this state wants to hear about your support for Al Franken unless you have the right to vote for him. If you don't then shut up.
Oh, come off it. A comedian in the Senate is just what we need. Have you ever watched C-SPAN? It's boring as hell!
Noah et al....Haven't you learned anything yet. The use of "Liberal" as a dirty word doesn't work any more.
I find it repellent that Minnesota reelected that Joseph McCarthy type Bachmann. The loss of Tinklenberg and Franken in their districts doesn't say much for the Minnesotans who live there.
"If by 'Liberal' they mean someone who looks ahead and not behind, someone who welcomes new ideas without rigid reactions, someone who cares about the welfare of the people - their health, their housing, their schools, their jobs, their civil rights, and their civil liberties - someone who believes we can break through the stalemate and suspicions that grip us in our policies abroad, if that is what they mean by a 'Liberal', then I'm proud to say I'm a Liberal"... John Fitzgerald Kennedy
Noah? Is that you Bill O'Reilly?
Fight to the END Franken!! Don't let them pull a BUSH 2000 and 2004 on you..Conceded nothing!!!
America (not me) elected a former actor (Reagan) to the presidency...why not a comedian to the Senate? We have seen wrestlers and former beauty queens win govenorships .
IF the GOP thinks that Palin could have been a credible VP, then why not a comedian? LOL!!
Wow, trully a rout for the Repbulicans if Al wins.
Noah et al....Haven't you learned anything yet. The use of "Liberal" as a dirty word doesn't work any more.
I find it repellent that Minnesota reelected that Joseph McCarthy type Bachmann. The loss of Tinklenberg and Franken in their districts doesn't say much for the Minnesotans who live there.
"If by 'Liberal' they mean someone who looks ahead and not behind, someone who welcomes new ideas without rigid reactions, someone who cares about the welfare of the people - their health, their housing, their schools, their jobs, their civil rights, and their civil liberties - someone who believes we can break through the stalemate and suspicions that grip us in our policies abroad, if that is what they mean by a 'Liberal', then I'm proud to say I'm a Liberal"... John Fitzgerald Kennedy
The problem is Coleman has his own scandels and ethics violations.
GO FRANKEN let the election rules/law work thats why these laws were enacted to clearly settle such issues, let the votes of Minnesota be counted and settled, life goes on.
Noah? Is that you Bill O'Reilly
If you've ever read any of Al Franken's books, you would realize that he is a very smart man and takes the task of governing in the US very seriously. His humour, at least in his books, is based on his frustration with incompetent, self motivated leaders. Like Obama, no matter what a person's background, if they are intelligent, thoughtful and sincere, they must make a better leader than most of the "old boy" republican politicians now in office.
A comedian in the Senate beats the current bad joke in the White House any day.
The only joke is "tinkle down economics", and it is a bad one. It's why we now owe $10,000,000,000,000 to Saudi Arabia and China. That's $3,600 a year out of everyone of our tax dollars in interest alone, every year. Now tell me how are we going to pay the principle?
I am a Dem and a Franken fan, but there is no way he belongs in the Senate. No way, no how, it should not have been this close. He is funny- in fact he is REALLY funny, but funny isn't what we need in D.C.
If he loses he can always go back on Saturday night live and make fun of himself...especially since he looks just like him.
Noah, a bitter republican, who would have thought we would see that today?
A comedian is better than a corrupt one.