Coleman vs. Franken: Recount looms

[AllHereTruth]

Source: Star Tribune

...With 98 percent of the returns in, Franken and Coleman were in a virtual tie around 3 a.m. A winning margin of less than one half of 1 percent -- now almost certain -- would trigger an automatic recount and could delay a result for days while ballots are retabulated across the state.

By law, the losing candidate can waive a recount, but that seems highly unlikely in this race.

...

Returns showed Independence Party candidate Dean Barkley trailing a distant third, but also pulling enough Democrats and independents to possibly cost Franken the race.

The economy, which was a major factor in Obama's win, proved far less decisive for Franken. Despite making a nearly identical pitch and linking himself often with Obama in the closing days of the race, Franken was barely holding his own on that issue against Coleman, exit interviews showed.

Read more: http://www.startribune.com/politics/national/senate/33829369.html?elr=KArks8c7PaP3E77K_3c::D3aDhUMEaPc:E7_ec7PaP3iUiD3aPc:_Yyc:aUU

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UP TO DATE TRACKING

http://www.cnn.com/ELECTION/2008/results/individual/#mapSMN

UPDATE: Coleman up by 2,000 votes at 4:00am CST with 99% reporting

[HopeFor2006]

1. From SOS website

# US SENATOR
Totals Pct Graph
Independence DEAN BARKLEY 428903 15.18
Republican NORM COLEMAN 1188824 42.08
Democratic-Farmer-Labor AL FRANKEN 1182718 41.87
Libertarian CHARLES ALDRICH 13638 0.48
Constitution JAMES NIEMACKL 8683 0.31
Write-In WRITE-IN** 2295 0.08
Write-In MICHAEL CAVLAN** 0 0.00
Write-In JOHN H. EVAN** 0 0.00
Write-In ANTHONY KEITH PRICE** 0 0.00
Write-In JACK SHEPARD** 0 0.00

[AllHereTruth]

2. Thats not up to date.

With 99% in Franken is currently 1130 votes ahead. http://www.cnn.com/ELECTION/2008/results/individual/#mapSMN

This race is down to the wire and will trigger and AUTOMATIC recount.

[sohndrsmith]

3. an auto recount would (I'm guessing) be unfavorable to the one ahead, right? n/t

[merwin]

4. Why?

Actual recounts usually end up benefiting the dems, considering all the crap the republicans pull

[TheEuclideanOne]

6. I guess that by definition it would, only because

the one that is ahead is the only one that has something to lose. Other than that, I can't say who it would benefit. Personally speaking, I hope that it benefits Franken.

[LVjinx]

11. Yeah, because it means their victory is in doubt

[Doctor_J]

14. Run-off would be better for Al, I think

I have a feeling Barley would toss his supporters toward Franken

[minnesota_liberal]

5. MN Secretary of State website

Seems really slow this morning. Can't imagine why.

http://electionresults.sos.state.mn.us/

[wysimdnwyg]

7. As of ~7:30am

Status
Candidate			Vote		Vote %
Coleman(Incumbent) 		1,210,790 	42% 
Franken 			1,210,028 	42% 
Barkley 			437,146 	15% 


Forgot to add, this is still being reported as 99% reported
in.

[bonnieS]

8. stolen votes?

The original exit poll, now deleted from the NY Times website, showed Franken with a twelve point lead. How did this evaporate? Anyone remember 2004?

My husband tried to post a comment on the NY Times website but it was rejected. He then called Brad Friedman (Brad Blog) on Nova M, and spoke to him about it. Brad called for Minnesota activists to DO something about it, but as we all know, now that the exit polls have been "adjusted" there is no evidence.

Did Mitch McConnell really win? Did Susan Collins really win? What margin of error were the fixers using?

The result is a Senate with the worst rightwingers left to block and obstruct.

We must have paper ballots.

[bvar22]

20. Minnesota HAS Paper Ballots.....

...at least they did in 2004 (the last time I voted in MN)....Paper ballots, filled out by hand, optically scanned.

[Jimdish25]

9. Where's our team of lawyers?

Al's gonna need them with a Republican Governor and SOS.

No Surrender Al!!!

[ShortnFiery]

10. Yes! I'd love to see Al Frankin in the Senate.

Hoping! :-)

[Tigress DEM]

12. The DEM that ran against him in the primary that Lord *it** put the real nails in the coffin.

They used her words against Franken about the "porn" etc... as being proof positive that the DEMS didn't want Franken.

Pricilla Lord Faris is worse than Barkley because she is SUPPOSED to be on our side.

[aquart]

16. Never mind her. How could any Democrat have voted third party yesterday?

[Jimdish25]

13. According To Verified-Voting They Have Paper Ballots...

..anyone have any insight, Minnesotans?

[Fly by night]

15. Will they be recounted by opscan or by hand? Inquiring minds want to know.

[truckin]

17. My guess is that it will be a machine recount. That is how it is

done in Connecticut. Hope I am wrong about MN.

[truckin]

21. Someone from MN said it is a hand recount in another thread.

We'll see how accurate the machines were, which is always a good thing.

[Thor_MN]

22. Paper ballots, recounted by hand at the county level.

Don't hold your breath folks... It's going to take awhile.

Meanwhile sleazy Normie is saying that Al can say that the recount shouldn't be done and save all those tax dollars. Freaking POS. I hope the recount bounces his ass out of the state.

[Tigress DEM]

23. Secretary of State Mark Ritchie says "by hand" with lawyers & partisan observers watching.

It's a HUGE deal and it's going to take awhile. 3 million plus ballots all being recounted by their local cities or counties election judges with constant observance.

THey say it will probably take a month.

[bonnieS]

18. that never occurred to us

how could he lose 12 points then? We do need some insight!

[Jimdish25]

19. Some more votes added on CNN, down to 500+ for Norm..

...hoping there's more to be counted..

Just heard Palast with a big bee in his bonnet about Georgia. Doesn't seem to like Al as the canddidate and seemed confused about his being from NY not Minnesota but ignoring Norm's being parachuting in as a legacy insider.