MINNESOTANS TURNED OUT TO VOTE IN RECORD NUMBERS, AND DID SO WITHOUT REPORTS OF FEDERAL WATCHDOGS INTERFERING, OR REPORTS OF VOTER FRAUD.... WE'RE JOINED BY STATE ELECTIONS DIRECTOR PAUL LINNELL TO BREAK DOWN THE DATA... HOW DID WE DO TURNOUT WISE?

>> WHEN THE FINAL NUMBERS COME OUT I THINK MINNESOTA WILL BE RIGHT AT THE TOP, OR VERY NEAR IT.

CERTAINLY I EXPECT TO BE ON THE MEDAL STAND ACROSS THE COUNTRY FOR TURNOUT IN THIS MIDTERM ELECTION.

>> EARLY VOTING SEEMS POPULAR.

>> ABSOLUTELY ACROSS THE STATE WE HAVE SEEN BOTH ABSENTEE VOTING BY MAIL AND EARLY VOTING IN THE LAST 18 DAYS WAS VERY POPULAR.

OVER A MILLION VOTERS CAST THEIR BALLOT PRIOR TO ELECTION DAY.

>> PRIMARY SET A NEW RECORD, DID THAT SET THE STAGE FOR THIS TURNOUT OR THE GENERAL?

>> I THINK THAT SHOWED THAT VOTERS HAVE A LOT OF INTEREST AND CANDIDATES AND THAT MINNESOTA HAS A CULTURE OF VOTING WHETHER T BE AT A PRIMARY ELECTION OR A GENERAL ELECTION HERE, THE EXPECTATION WAS THAT PEOPLE WOULD BE TURNING OUT AND THAT'S WHAT WE SAW ACROSS THE STATE.

>> TAKE US TO SOUTHERN MINNESOTA TO CD1 WHERE THERE WILL BE A RECOUNT FOR THE CONGRESSIONAL SAT.

CAN YOU WALK US THROUGH HAT PROCESS.

>> A FEW THINGS THAT WILL TAKE PLACE BEFORE, FIRST EACH COUNTY NEEDS TO CERTIFY THE 3 VOTES OF THE CAST IN THEIR COUNTY.

POST ELECTION REVIEW WILL TAKE PLACE WHICH IS A HAND COUNT AUDIT, ONE OF THE SAFEGUARDS IN PLACE TO MAKE SURE THE EQUIPMENT IS COUNTING ACCURATELY.

THEY DO A HAND OUNT OF SELECT PRECINCTS, AND THE STATE CANVASSING BOARD THAT WILL CERTIFY THE RESULTS FOR CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT ONE.

AT THAT POINT THE RECOUNT CAN BE OFFICIALLY REQUESTED AND IT IS IN THAT PUBLICLY FUNDED MARGIN.

IT WOULD BE PAID FOR.

>> AND LEGISLATIVE RECOUNTS, HOW MANY ARE YOU LOOKING AT AND WHAT IS THE MARGIN FOR THAT AUTOMATIC RECOUNT?

>> IT LOOKS LIKE THERE ARE THREE ELIGIBLE IN THAT PUBLICLY FUNDED MARGIN.

SENATE DISTRICT 4, SEPARATED BY FOUR VOTES, UP IN MOORHEAD, FOUR VOTES, AND ALL THOSE WITHIN ONE-HALF OF ONE PERCENT.

>> THAT'S A LOT OF RECOUNTS, ISN'T IT?

>> IT WOULD BE A BUSY YEAR FOR US AND FOR THE COUNTIES TO ADMINISTER THAT AT A STATE LEGISLATIVE OFFICE AND ABOVE.

>> THE MACHINES ARE PRETTY ACCURATE THOUGH?

>> THE VOTING EQUIPMENT IN MINNESOTA HAS CONSISTENTLY SHOW IT COUNTS VOTES ACCURATELY.

IT GOES THROUGH EXTENSIVE TESTING AT LABS BEFORE IT IS EVEN BROUGHT TO MINNESOTA TO BE CERTIFIED.

OUR OFFICE CERTIFIES IT BEFORE IT CAN BE USED, AND PRIOR TO EVERY ELECTION IS GOES THROUGH PUBLIC ACCURACY TESTING AND THE POST ELECTION REVIEW DOES A HAND COUNT TO VERIFY THE RESULTS ARE COUNTED ACCURATELY.

>> DOES IN A HIGH TURNOUT SHOW THAT MINNESOTANS BELIEVE IN VOTING?

THAT OUR VOTING IS FAIR AND SAFE AND THEY LOVE TO VOTE?

>> I THINK THAT'S ABSOLUTELY TRUE.

IF YOU DIDN'T BELIEVE IN THE PROCESS, YOU WOULD NOT BE SHOWING OUT IN RECORD NUMBERS CONSISTENTLY THE WAY THAT MINNESOTANS D.

>> GREAT DATA.

>> BRINGING GOOD NEWS, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

>> WE DID IT, RIGHT?

NUMBER ONE.

>> IT WILL E CLOSE.

>> WE HOPE.