MONTGOMERY, Ala. -- Incumbent Gov. Don Siegelman insisted in a press conference Wednesday that the election was over and he is the clear winner. But soon after Siegelman's statement, Bob Riley held a press conference and called himself the governor-elect of Alabama.

Election officials in Republican-dominated Baldwin County originally showed Siegelman with 19,070 votes, but later reduced his tally to 12,736. The change could be enough to put Riley in the lead in the razor-thin race in which the margin of victory would be only a few thousand out of 1.3 million votes cast.

Siegelman said he believes he has enough votes to win the governor's election regardless of vote totals in Baldwin County.

According to Riley, Baldwin County officials certified their votes Wednesday just before 11 a.m. The votes showed Siegelman received 12,736 votes while Riley received over 31,000, according to Riley.

NBC13 confirmed that Probate Judge James Reid certified the Baldwin County votes. Baldwin County District Attorney David Whetston announced the official numbers around 11 a.m.

If the total remains the same statewide, Riley would have a 3,085-vote margin of victory. The statewide vote totals will not be officially certified until noon Friday

At a news conference around 10:40 a.m. Wednesday, Siegelman did not concede and said he would continue on with "business as usual" as the governor of Alabama.

"When the votes were counted the first time we were the winner, and we will be the winner when votes are certified Friday," Siegelman said.

Riley said he hoped the governor would concede Wednesday because the vote numbers would not change.

"I cannot foresee any circumstance at this time, that you're not looking at the new governor of Alabama," Riley said. [...]