Election 2000: Iowa Secretary of State Discusses Close Final Vote Count
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: We are awaiting the word on the final tally from Florida. Election results from a number of other states also hang in the balance. In New Mexico where Al Gore holds a slim lead over George W. Bush, one county has yet to release results from a recount of thousands of early-voting ballots. Officials say they are trying to account for 252 missing ballots there. The Bush campaign also is keeping a close eye on the final vote count in other states. In Iowa, Gore beat Bush by some 5,000 votes. Republican party officials in the state say they are prepared to seek recounts if Bush requests that. For more on the story, we have on the phone with us Iowa's secretary of state, Chet Culver. Mr. Secretary, good morning. Thanks for joining us.</s>CHET CULVER, IOWA SECRETARY OF STATE: Good morning. It's nice to be with you.</s>KAGAN: Could you give us the latest count as you have it of the presidential race in Iowa?</s>CULVER: Yes, as of this morning, the latest unofficial results have Al Gore -- Vice President Gore with a 5,121-vote margin, 5,121 votes ahead of Gov. Bush at this point.</s>KAGAN: Now, if my math is correct, that would be a 1 percent difference, is that right?</s>CULVER: Yes, it's actually less than 1 percent.</s>KAGAN: So do you possibly find yourself facing the same situation in Iowa as they are facing in Florida?</s>CULVER: Well, I want to make it very clear that we do not have an automatic recount provision in Iowa election law. There is no automatic recount in all 99 counties. That has been reported and that is incorrect. We do, however, have a recount process in Iowa. The process is triggered when a candidate requests a recount, which they cannot do until after our 99 county results become official either this coming Monday or Tuesday of the 13th or 14th. And they can't ask for a recount until then.</s>KAGAN: So you'll have to wait until then. A side note here. In reading up about you, I understand that you are 33 years old, the youngest secretary of state in the nation right now, and also a former teacher. You address young people. What would you like to see young people take away from election 2000 and what has happened in the days following?</s>CULVER: Well, I ran for this office in large part because I'm extremely concerned with the historic decline that we're seeing in voter participation across the country. In 1996, we had just 48 percent turnout, 100 million Americans refused to vote. And I hope that young people learn from this election that their vote does count, that there should be no doubt from now on in this country about the importance of one vote at a time. And I think that young people in this country really came out and wanted to be a part of this process. They got involved in the caucuses, they got involved in the primary process. And I really hope that this makes the point very clear that a democracy is alive and well and it is run by the people of the United States. And more importantly, we need young people to carry on this tradition in this country of a strong and a healthy democracy. And I encourage young people not only to vote, but I would like them to run for office and to become public servants and to roll up their sleeves and make this country what they want it to become in the future. And I hope this inspires young people to become active participants in this wonderful democratic process in this country.</s>KAGAN: Well, clearly you are walking the walk in Iowa. That is Chet Culver, secretary of state for the state of Iowa. Thanks for joining us.