Coleman & Franken: onto State Supreme Court

Minnesota's Missing Votes - Some Senate absentee ballots are more equal than others.

Excerpt:

[a] solution is to hold a special Senate election. Minnesota law does not specifically provide for such a runoff. However, the U.S. Constitution's 17th amendment does provide states with a roadmap for filling "vacancies," which might be a legal starting point for a do-over. Even before the shifting standards of the contest trial, the St. Paul Pioneer Press looked at the ballot-counting evidence and called for a revote. It could be that this is where the court case is leading in any event.

Democrats want to portray Mr. Coleman as a sore loser and make the Republican worry that he will ruin his chances for other political office. But Mr. Coleman has a legitimate grievance that not all votes have been treated equally. If the Franken standard of disparate absentee-voter treatment is allowed to stand, every close election will be settled by a legal scramble to change the vote-counting rules after Election Day. Minnesota should take the time to get this one right.

Comment: The problem with a revote is the cost to the State but that's my preference.

Will Harry Reid override Minnesota voters?

Paul Weyrich: Uncertainty in Minnesota’s U.S. Senate Race

Excerpt:

... if Mr. Franken can’t prevail in federal court, he may turn to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev. Sen. Reid could have the U.S. Senate wade into the disputed ballots, as Democrats did in a disputed election for a House seat some years ago.

More likely, however, Sen. Reid would have the seat declared vacant, forcing candidates Sen. Coleman and Mr. Franken into another election.

Democrats naturally hope to achieve a 60-40 filibuster-proof majority in the U.S. Senate, so it would not be surprising to see them concentrate their resources in Minnesota and deliver the state for Mr. Franken.

As the former Director of the Senate Republican Conference said to me the other day, “Nothing could demean the Senate as an institution more than to have Franken as a member.” Perhaps, but that will be up to the citizens of Minnesota to decide.

Comment: One of Paul Weyrich's last columns - he died Thursday: Architect of Religious Right Dies. Latest looks like Franken will win: Franken pushes his lead over Coleman past 250

Coleman: +5

The Lizard People ballot

'Lizard People' Ballot Ruled An Overvote

Excerpt:

The infamous "Lizard People" ballot from Bemidji, Minn. was declared an overvote. The Norm Coleman campaign's challenge on the ballot was allowed, though not before some discussion among the board.

Secretary of State Mark Ritchie's original motion was to reject the challenge and allow the vote for Al Franken, whose circle was filled above the write-in vote for "Lizard People."

But in deliberation, it was brought up that there is no way to determine that there is not a legitimate person named "Lizard People" and, thus, the ballot would have to be considered as carrying two votes for the U.S. Senate race.

Comment: Full PDF of the 'Lizard People' ballot available here. Fascinating to follow this! MRP coverage with full PDF's of ballots: here

A vote for Mickey Mouse

In Minnesota Recount, Scribbles, Mice and Other Ballot Puzzles

Excerpt:

At another point, Judge Kathleen Gearin expressed puzzlement over a voter whose only selection was a write-in — for Mickey Mouse.

“Why would they go in just to vote for Mickey Mouse?,” Judge Gearin asked.

Chief Justice Magnuson responded, “This is not a voter that cared a lot.”

Comment: It's a vote for Al Franken!

Coleman holds +192 lead after recount

The recounting is done (with one exception)

Excerpt:

Except for 133 missing ballots from Minneapolis, the recounting of votes from the U.S. Senate race is over. According to the Star Tribune's tabulations, Republican Sen. Norm Coleman has a 192-vote advantage over Democrat Al Franken, pending the resolution of those Minneapolis ballots and of thousands of ballot challenges.

When the recount began, Coleman held a 215-vote edge.

At 11:29 this morning, Wright County maintenance worker Allen Buskey pushed a cart with 10 boxes of ballots into Room 217 at the county government center in Buffalo and locked up the last of the 2.9 million ballots recounted since Nov. 19.

"We're done," said state elections director Gary Poser, after putting stickers on the 21st challenged ballot from the Wright County town of Montrose.

The last ballot tallied in the recount of the bitter race was for neither Coleman nor Franken, but the Independence Party's Dean Barkley, from a voter in Hanover.

The 192-vote margin almost certainly will change once the challenged ballots that have been set aside are reviewed by the state Canvassing Board.

Comment: Image captured from the Star Tribune (12/5/08). Compare Coleman & Franken: 238 votes from 11/7/08

Update: Minnesota Secretary of State Mark Ritchie said Coleman led Franken by 787 votes

With the recount virtually complete on Friday, Minnesota Secretary of State Mark Ritchie said Coleman led Franken by 787 votes. Local newspapers put Coleman's margin at about 200 votes, tallying ballots that had previously been challenged.

11 Challenged ballots

Challenged ballots: You be the judge


Comment: Check this out!

Franken challenges this ballot

One challenge headed to the state so far in Plymouth


Excerpt:

The bubble beside Norm Coleman’s name appeared to have both an X and a squiggle in it, but the Al Franken campaign wants the state Canvassing Board to rule on whether it should count. That’s the only challenge in the special envelope in Plymouth so far, according to Sandy Engdahl, the city clerk and the official running the city recount.

The Canada geese milling on the grounds and parking lot of Plymouth City Hall were oblivious to the gaggle of election officials and observers inside. The drone of “Franken” and “Coleman” was accompanied by the swishing of paper in Medicine Lake Room A. Early on, Engdahl had to admonish some candidate representatives from trying to tell her counters how to count. Clearly, she said, the recount watchers are “very passionate,” but she has to remind them of everyone’s roles in this civic drama.

Eight of the 24 precincts had been counted by 1:45 p.m., and the only challenged ballot, in Engdahl’s view, was clearly a vote for Coleman. Nevertheless, the Franken campaign was allowed to seek a second opinion.

Comment: How a Franken representative might think this is not a Coleman vote is beyond me!