Recount Bares Flaws in Minn. Absentee System

Minn. senator could beat Franken with veto strategy

(NEWSER) - Norm Coleman rejected 37% of recount ballots in a blue Minnesota county this week, including that of an election judge, the Minneapolis Star Tribune reports. Shirley Graham, who voted for Coleman, disputes a date discrepancy the senator used to deny her absentee vote. The state Supreme Court gave the candidates unilateral power to reject any ballot up for recount, a power the Republican camp has liberally exercised. More»

If the two can't compromise, Senate may just seat Franken

(NEWSER) - It’s not clear what the Minnesota Supreme Court was thinking when it made the outcome of the Senate race contingent on the two campaigns working out a deal on disputed absentee ballots. Not surprisingly, the Al Franken and Norm Coleman camps, currently separated by 46 votes, are still far apart, and sniping at each other instead of settling. Franken wants all 1,346 improperly rejected absentee ballots counted, and Coleman only wants a few hundred. More»

(NEWSER) - The Minnesota recount will not be complete until next year and could be continuing even as the new Senate is sworn in, Minnesota Public Radio reports. A plan agreed to by both the Coleman and Franken camps has the secretary of state counting wrongly rejected absentee ballots by January 4, after which both candidates can appeal to the Canvassing Board. The Senate is sworn in January 6. More»

Decision to re-examine rejected absentee ballots raises challenger's hopes

(NEWSER) - The momentum went Al Franken's way in the Minnesota recount yesterday, the Minneapolis Star Tribune reports. The Democrat—trailing incumbent Sen. Norm Coleman by 303 votes with 93% of the ballots counted—picked up 37 more votes than his rival out of a pile of 171 uncounted ballots found in one county. Also yesterday, Minnesota's secretary of state ordered officials to re-examine 12,000 rejected absentee ballots, a move Franken supporters believe will help their guy. More»

Coleman leads Minn. race by 206 votes, calls suit 'shameless'

(NEWSER) - Senate hopeful Al Franken is suing Minnesota counties to get the names and addresses of locals whose absentee ballots were rejected, the Star Tribune reports. Franken’s team is sweeping the state for such information in an effort to cut GOP Sen. Norm Coleman’s current 206-vote lead. A full state recount begins next week in the race, which could tip the balance of power in the Senate. More»