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.
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I cannot believe this. I am ashamed to call my self a Minnesotan. Minnesota does not need any more liberal politics. The state's welfare economics are beyond comical.
The caption reads the race is in a "..dead head..".
Of course they meant deat heat, but its funny anyway.
I predict Al Franken will contest this election in and out of courts until the bitter end, just the like bitter little man he is.
This Al is no Al of 2000. He will fight
Al will prevail...any state that could elect that nutcase Bachman AGAIN has some making up to do. Go Al!!!!
I would rather have a comedian in the senate than a corrupt weasel like coleman!!!
Hang in there Al. We need someone in the Senate who intentionally humorous, not ignorantly ironic. GOBAMA!
Go, Al!
If you've read his books, he simply holds scoundrels accountable. Al's been intensely involved with politics for nearly his whole life, which sounds a heck of a lot better than a certain ACTOR who ended up in the White House.
From the state that elected Jesse Ventura? How could you expect anything else.
Did you notice the absolutely magnificent concession speech by McCain. Contrast that with Gore and Kerry and the bitterness and hatred they spewed. They are the real Democrats.
Getting beat by a comedian must sting
Franken is the better choice. Coleman is dirty and a loyal Bushie.
Vile human being? You mean, like Bush?
Hahahaha, Minnesota obviously likes him enough to have endorsed and voted for him (at least 42% of them). Its their race and wholly up to them as to who they elect. However, I wonder how this race would go without Senator Barkley in the mix. He obviously marred this election for someone.
if you can't beat Al Franken, perhaps you don't deserve to be in the Senate.
Its really sad to see candidates of such poor quality shoved down our throats, and its even more sad that people line up right behind these partisan bickering morons.
The answer isn't left or right, its dead in the middle.
Last night was clearly and truly a victory for us Democrats !! But I am GREEDY and I WANT IT ALL – HANG IN THERE AL – Absolutely DO NOT Concede !! I was sincerely hoping to see us Democrats hit the magic number of 60 seats in the Senate so that we can be 100% filibuster-proof from that crooked Republican Party. The GOP is the most crooked party around. I see some folks referring to the GOP as facists and some referring to them as communists – to me they are just plain, rotten CROOKS !!
Vile human being?A joke? Comedian? For a second there I thought you were talking about Dubya, but you left out retarded, delusional, inept, lazy, incompetent, simple-minded, insane, dimwitted and moronic.
Franken became famous as a comedian by getting people to laugh at themselves. This indicates he is familiar with human behavior.
He became well known in politics because be was able to call
bad politician's on their bad behavior.
The results of this election show that most Minnesotans are not
in favor of Coleman.
I don't know that much about Franken but I've read a couple of his books and he's a very funny guy. He seems really smart and knows a lot about politics. I guess if he has a feel for what matters to people in Minnesota, he could be a very good senator. I would say if he can keep himself out of airport bathrooms looking for sex, he would automatically be better than at least one other man already in the Senate.
Jared said: "Go Al! Take this seat away from the fascists!"
Glad to see the bi-partisanship and reaching across the aisle has already started...
Fascists? To borrow a line from "The Princess Bride" – "I do not think that word means what you think it means"
The recount is required by law in this close election. The truth is important. If Coleman wins after the recount, so be it.
Yet another example that Every Vote Counts.
571. That's the difference. So yeah, we need a recount.
GO AL FRANKEN!!!
The AP has uncalled the race, you pathetic Republican hack.
Stand your ground till all is accounted for Al!