Four judges on Senate race canvassing board (MN Senate recount)

[MinneapolisMatt]

In a nutshell, it's two Republican Governor Pawlenty appointees, one Democratic Governor appointee (former Governor Arne Carlson), and one Independent Governor appointee (former Governor Jesse Ventura). Mark Ritchie, Secretary of State, is a Democrat.

In my opinion, the playing field seems fair. Two Rs, two Ds, and one I.

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Four judges on Senate race canvassing board

http://www.startribune.com/politics/state/34348259.html?elr=KArksLckD8EQDUoaEyqyP4O:DW3ckUiD3aPc:_Yyc:aULPQL7PQLanchO7DiUr


Minnesota Supreme Court Chief Justice Eric Magnuson, Associate Justice G. Barry Anderson, Ramsey County District Court Chief Judge Kathleen Gearin and Assistant Chief Judge Edward Cleary will join Secretary of State Mark Ritchie on the State Canvassing Board next week to certify results in the U.S. Senate race, Ritchie announced this afternoon.

Ritchie chose the board's members after consulting with Magnuson and Gearin, he said. Under state law, the canvassing board is chaired by the secretary of state and must include two state Supreme Court justices and two district court judges.

*snip*

Magnuson was named chief justice by Gov. Tim Pawlenty in June, and before that was in private practice in Minneapolis. Pawlenty appointed him chair of the Commission on Judicial Selection in 2003, where he served until this year. Anderson was appointed to the state Court of Appeals in 1998 by Gov. Arne Carlson and was named to the Supreme Court by Pawlenty in 2004.

Gearin was elected to Ramsey County District Court in 1986, after working for 10 years as a prosecutor in the Ramsey County Attorney's Office. Cleary was appointed as district court judge in 2002 by Gov. Jesse Ventura, and was elected to the position in 2004.

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The recount begins on November 19, the day after the election results are certified.