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NOVEMBER 21, 2000

Final results on the Slade Gorton - Maria Cantwell race are due tomorrow, but voters won't know the official outcome for at least a week.

Like Florida, counties in Washington are required to submit their results to the Secretary of State by a certain date before they can be certified. That deadline is tomorrow.

But with the Republican Gorton leading Democratic challenger Cantwell by less than 1,300 votes as of Monday evening, an automatic recount is in store before the incumbent Senator can officially claim victory. Like Florida, Washington state law requires an automatic recount when the difference in votes between the top two candidates is less than one-half of 1 percent.

As the election scandal in Florida continues, Secretary of State Ralph Munro is already assuring the public that the process is fair, time-tested, and reliable. Recounts have been made three times in the past 25 years, says Munro.

And Munro says state law guarantees no more than two recounts in any given race. So while it looks like the Senate race won't drag on forever, vote watchers in Indian Country and Capitol Hill won't know the outcome for some time.

By law, the recount won't even begin until November 29. In small counties, it might be completed in a day but in large counties, where Cantwell holds the lead in two of the largest, it will take longer.

Gorton, meanwhile, holds the lead in 34 out of 39 counties overall.

Both candidates eagerly await tomorrow's results and both expect the recount. But even if Gorton is re-elected, it will be by one of the smallest margin in his political history.

The final certification date in Washington is December 7.

Get the latest numbers:
Washington State General Election (Washington Secretary of State)

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