Posted on 07/05/2006 2:12:31 PM PDT by chilepepper
MEXICO CITY -(Dow Jones)- Mexico's leftist presidential candidate Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador holds a small lead in the final vote count being conducted by the Federal Electoral Institute, or IFE, based on results from 35.2% of polling stations, The Associated Press reported Wednesday afternoon.
Lopez Obrador, of the Democratic Revolution Party, or PRD, is ahead with 37.1%, while conservative Felipe Calderon of the ruling National Action Party, or PAN, has 34.3% of the vote, according to IFE.
A quick tally the night of Sunday's vote proved too close for IFE to call a winner, so election officials Wednesday started a full review of tallies compiled by polling stations. The process could take several days to complete.
In a preliminary vote count, Calderon led by a little over 400,000 votes, about 1 percentage point, with 98.5% of the country's more than 130,000 balloting places reporting.
Lopez Obrador's campaign has rejected the preliminary results and called on IFE to open ballot boxes and conduct a vote-by-vote recount, citing irregularities. Leonel Cota, president of the PRD, upped the stakes Wednesday by saying the campaign won't concede the election without a full recount.
While parties can appeal to district election officials to open ballot boxes for a recount, it's unclear if a nationwide recount is allowed under Mexican law.
Thanks!
Militarize the border.
We are hugely indebted to CINYC, and I hope all the work that FReeper did does not go to waste as the projections were a win for Calderon.
91.71% reporting - lead now 1.06%
http://www.eluniversal.com.mx/noticias.html
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The overseas ballots (like of Mexicans living in the US) were counted. They went overwhelmingly for , but there were only 33,000 or so. I'm not sure whether there were any other absentees.
91.96% reporting - lead now 1.04%
At the current pace, the final results will be Obrador by about 0.10%. That would be EXTREMELY controversial and likely would result in another recount.
You meant Calderon.
Gotcha.
I think that would be awful: it would really taint Calderon's victory. There's nothing good about the scenario you suggest (except the actual outcome).
Should be another update soon. Last one was 20 minutes ago.
92% votes counted
Obrador 36.13%
Calderon 35.11%
Difference of 1.02%
92.17%, Obragore by 0.99%
It's now within 1% with 7.73% of the votes to be counted.
The magic number now: 12.81%. That is the percentage of the remaining votes necessary to win.
92.17% votes counted
Obrador 36.11%
Calderon 35.12%
Difference of 0.99%
Seems the better guy is inching up too slowly, but at least he has the momentum, or joementum, as the case may be.
Just looking at it, I don't think the gap will close enough to give Calderon the win. Great drama.
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