Reply #47: In an election as close as that one, it's not at all surprising that

[MineralMan]

it took 6 months. We have a very detailed process spelled out for recounts in our laws. We have very strict standards for absentee ballots and those standards have to be met if an absentee ballot is counted. We also have laws that describe what is meant by the "intent of the voter."

The initial recount actually went fairly quickly. But, we also have laws regarding challenges that take the process through legal steps. In that process, each disputed ballot must be examined physically, with representatives of both parties on hand.

The bottom line: Once it was all done, the system we use for our elections was shown to have produced an accurate result. That the election was so close brought the final results into question. Our law requires an automatic full recount in elections that close. That was done, and to the letter of the law.

The election was not rigged by either side. The votes of the individual voters in the state were counted accurately. It was close. Very close. So close that extraordinary efforts were needed to make sure it was properly counted. That took 6 months.

The machines worked just fine, and we had paper ballots to back it up. It is a very good system. We take elections very seriously here in Minnesota.