Sanders campaign requests Kentucky vote recanvass

 In this May 8, 2016 file photo, Democratic presidential candidate, Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., speaks at a campaign rally in Piscataway, N.J.
In this May 8, 2016 file photo, Democratic presidential candidate, Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., speaks at a campaign rally in Piscataway, N.J.

ANAHEIM, Calif. — Bernie Sanders' presidential campaign requested a recanvass in Kentucky's presidential primary Tuesday, where he trails Hillary Clinton by less than one-half of 1 percent of the vote.

The Sanders campaign said it has asked the Kentucky secretary of state to have election officials review electronic voting machines and absentee ballots from last week's primary in each of the state's 120 counties.

Sanders signed a letter Tuesday morning requesting a full and complete check and recanvass of the election results in Kentucky.

"He's in this until every last vote is counted and he's fighting for every last delegate," said Sanders' spokesman Michael Briggs.

Clinton holds 1,924-vote lead over Sanders out of 454,573 votes cast. The Associated Press had not called the race, despite Clinton's slight lead, in the event that Sanders might ask to recanvass the vote.

A recanvass is not a recount but a review of the voting totals. It is unlikely to affect the final outcome but could affect the awarding of a single delegate still up for grabs.

Read Tuesday's Arkansas Democrat-Gazette for full details.

EARLIER: Bernie Sanders: Democratic convention could be 'messy'

LOS ANGELES — Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders says the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia and his push to make the party more inclusive could get "messy" but asserts in an interview with The Associated Press: "Democracy is not always nice and quiet and gentle."

The Vermont senator, campaigning Monday ahead of California's primary against Hillary Clinton, said his supporters hope the party will adopt a platform at the summer convention that reflects the needs of working families, the poor and young people — not Wall Street and corporate America.

Sanders said he will "condemn any and all forms of violence" but his campaign was welcoming political newcomers and first-time attendees of party conventions. He said the Democratic Party faces a choice of becoming more inclusive or maintaining the status quo.

"I think if they make the right choice and open the doors to working-class people and young people and create the kind of dynamism that the Democratic Party needs, it's going to be messy," Sanders said.

"Democracy is not always nice and quiet and gentle, but that is where the Democratic Party should go."

Sanders is vying for support ahead of California's June 7 primary, a day that also includes contests in Montana, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Dakota and South Dakota. Clinton has 271 more pledged delegates than Sanders and is just 90 delegates shy of clinching the nomination when the total includes superdelegates, the party officials and elected leaders who can support the candidate of their choice.

Read Tuesday's Arkansas Democrat-Gazette for full details.

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