Star Tribune - Recount: Coleman’s lead shrinks by nearly 20 percent

[usregimechange]

With the first day complete tonight in a state-mandated recount in the contest for U.S. Senate between Republican incumbent Norm Coleman and Democratic challenger Al Franken, Coleman’s lead shrank by nearly 20 percent.

Based on a Star Tribune analysis of partial recount numbers released this evening by the Secretary of State’s Office, Coleman lost a net of 41 votes and now holds a 174-vote advantage. He started the day up by 215.

These new numbers come after the state has recounted 18 percent of the ballots. They come from 27 percent of the state’s precincts. At this point, Coleman has lost 86 votes, while Franken has lost 45.

Observers for the two candidates together are challenging 269 ballots so far. Coleman is contesting 146, Franken 123. The challenged ballots will go before a State Canvassing Board for a final determination.

http://www.startribune.com/politics/national/senate/34736454.html?elr=KArks8c7PaP3E77K_3c::D3aDhUxWoW_oD:EaDUiD3aPc:_Yyc:aULPQL7PQLanchO7DiU

:fistbump:

[Lint Head]

1. Doesn't Viagra take care of a shrinking lead?

:dem:

[Dinger]

2. I Want This For Al So Bad, And I

want it for Paul, and for the people of Minnesota.

[hans]

3. My reading of how this works, is that virtually every plus or minus vote for each side is being

contested, so it is premature to assume these gains for Franken are in the bank. They are probably solid but not exact indicators of what has happened so far. I want Franken to win as much as any of us do, but it projects to be very close and so it will probably come down to the five member board ruling on each ballot. High drama. Stay tuned.

P.S. I'm no expert on this and just reading the tea leaves, so take it for what it is worth.

[usregimechange]

5. Thanks for your insight and welcome to DU!

[dflprincess]

6. Only about 18% of the ballots have been recounted

and according to the local news, it is going fairly smoothly. The only ballots that cause any discussion is when the "voter intent" must be decided. Most the ballots were clearly marked and are going into the Franken or Coleman pile without protest.

[rurallib]

4. time to sue, Normy.

edit to add - if Normy loses up there you keep that fucker in Minnesota. Don't let wander over your southern border. Thank you.

[Jackpine Radical]

7. Nor your eastern border. Keep him west of the Mississippi & St. Croix Rivers.

[camera obscura]

8. I'm shocked they didn't couch it in pro-GOP terms: "Coleman retains 80% of lead"

knowing the Strib's reporting lately... I expect plenty of editorials about how CONCERNED they are all about this recount :puke:

[NHDEMFORLIFE]

9. This reminds me more and more of NH, 1974-75

The Democrat, John Durkin, lost to Louis Wyman by a few hundred votes on Election Night. Recounts and reviews tightened the margin to almost nothing, and after months of bickering the US Senate finally declared the seat vacant and ordered a rerun of the election in Sept., 1975. Durkin blew Wyman out of the water, then lost to Warren Rudman in the Reagan tidal wave of 1980.
Durkin was funny and smart, a decent senator.

[THUNDER HANDS]

10. just out of curiosity, what would happen if they ended up tied?

has that ever happened?

[NHDEMFORLIFE]

11. The Senate has the ultimate say in seating a member

They could, as in the case I cited above, simply order a new election. From the looks of this, my money is on that.

[Skwmom]

12. That's great news!

[truthisfreedom]

13. I have no idea how they're making this determination with so few votes counted,

unless they're comparing precinct results with precinct results.

They just want to make this into as big a horse race as possible.