Bush margin in Ohio slips; no recount

By The Associated Press

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Bush's margin of victory in the state that put him over the top in his re-election bid will be about 119,000 votes — smaller than the unofficial margin of 136,000, the county election-board figures showed.

The margin shrank primarily because of the addition of provisional ballots that were not counted on Election Day and were not included in the unofficial tally. Overseas ballots also were added to the count in all 88 counties.

And about one-quarter of Kerry's gain was the result of an electronic-voting-system glitch that gave Bush 3,893 extra votes in a suburban Columbus precinct.

Secretary of State Kenneth Blackwell will certify the results Monday.

The president's margin of victory was about 2 percent, not close enough to require an automatic recount. That happens only when the difference is 0.25 percent or less.

The Kerry campaign and two third-party candidates are seeking a recount. The Kerry campaign said it is not disputing the outcome of the race but wants to make sure any recount is "done accurately and completely."

A Delaware County judge last week sided with elections officials who argued that a recount was a waste of time and money, but a federal judge overturned the decision yesterday.

However, the third-party candidates' request for an immediate recount was rejected. A recount probably won't occur until after Ohio's electors meet Dec. 13.

Copyright © 2004 The Seattle Times Company

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