Recounts in Washington State and Alaska covered by AP

[Eric J in MN]

http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20041209/ap_on_el_gu/governor_recount

Hand Recount Starts in Wash. Gov. Race

By REBECCA COOK, Associated Press Writer

SHELTON, Washington - A recount by hand of 2.9 million votes began Wednesday to determine the winner of the closest gubernatorial race in (Washington) state history.

A machine recount found Republican Dino Rossi to be the winner by 42 votes over Democrat Christine Gregoire. The hand recount is the final tally allowed by state law....

Also Wednesday, an Alaska group said it has raised the $10,000 necessary to ask elections officials for a recount of last month's U.S. Senate race there. Republican Sen. Lisa Murkowski (news, bio, voting record) beat Democrat Tony Knowles by more than 9,500 votes, or 3 percentage points.

David Koester, a member of Recount Alaska 2004, said AccuVote scanners used in Alaska have proven inconsistent elsewhere and exit polls had put Knowles ahead in the race. Recount organizers want 10 percent of the 439 precincts to be verified by a hand count.