At 7:15 AM PST, Democratic challenger Al Franken passed incumbent Republican Senator Norm Coleman in the final stages of the "Great Minnesota Recount." At this point the main recount is complete and the state canvassing board is currently poring over each challenged ballot. They have about 350 ballots remaining, all of which were challenged by Coleman--which implies Franken is poised to gain more votes as those challenges are rejected. The board is expected to finish today.
Meanwhile the MN Supreme Court has ordered approximately 1,500 possibly improperly rejected absentee ballots to be reviewed by the counties--a victory for the Franken campaign--although since all parties must agree before a previously-rejected absentee ballot is opened and counted, few votes are likely to be added. Once that extra process is complete, a winner will be certified... Then the court challenges can begin in earnest.
[Update: an hour later, at 8:15 AM PST, Franken is ahead by +80.]
[Update #2: by the end of the day, Franken was ahead by +251 votes. The canvassing board resumes work on Monday.]
Friday, December 19, 2008
Franken Takes the Lead
Posted by Dr. Strangelove at 7:18 AM
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3 comments:
Wow. The Coleman campaign is out of options now. The absentee ballots probably favor Franken. Even if they don't, they have to make a big mental stretch to start wanting to count more ballots rather than not. I wonder when the minn sec of state will certify the election (Dec 31?) and make Franken able to take his seat on January 5.
Update: Franken ahead by +151.
I bet Franken is wishing he hadn't demanded to count the absentee ballots. That may delay certifying the election.
Coleman will have bigger worries in a few months when he's indicted for bribery etc.
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