DISQUS

SeekTheTriuth · 11 months ago

Nobody could have predicated that, John.

Predicted, maybe.

woodog · 11 months ago

What are the chances of getting them back?

grandma · 11 months ago

‘Human error’ blamed in 133 twice-counted ballots, Franken’s ‘lead’ slips away

Franken’s campaign responded to the news with a letter to Reichert and Secretary of State Mark Ritchie urging Reichert to do a complete search before the recount closes on Friday or tallies are officially reported from that precinct.

In a release, Franken communications director Andy Barr called it “an incredible breach of the democratic process.”

2,029 voters had their votes recorded on Election Day, and now local officials are able to produce only 1,896 ballots. That makes 133 residents of this one precinct in Minneapolis whose voices were just effectively silenced by this serious error, and it must be corrected before anyone can consider this recount complete or accurate.

Earlier today, Franken’s lawyer claimed the Democrat had a 22-vote lead; Sen. Norm Coleman’s team responded, facetiously, claiming that they, in turn, lead by the randomly assigned margin of 2,200 votes.

http://minnesotaindependent.com/19047/more-vote...

buddhafrog · 11 months ago

Who's to say these weren't added in error on Nov 4th? Maybe even intentionally so to benefit Franken?

Just saying...

Just Sayin' · 11 months ago

He's Bush's Man. That tells you everything you need to know.

Just Sayin' · 11 months ago

Steney Hoyer said we don't need fair elections.

nikto · 11 months ago

I'm telling you, the scummy, slimy GOP must have MOLES all over the frikkin' place
to do this kind of thing (swipe a few ballots).

This is an ominous sign for Obama (whose administration will likely
be FULL of GOP moles!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!)

Indigo · 11 months ago

Where's the surprise?

nikto · 11 months ago

Stories like this make me start putting words together in new combinations, like...

GOP and

FINAL SOLUTION



Hmmmm.


Final Solution for the GOP.

It's the only way to be sure.

OK, now let me have it for saying something naughty!

tbhull · 11 months ago

When will this recount conclude?

lysias · 11 months ago

Sounds like something the Senate can take into account when it decides on the credentials of the candidates for the MN Senate seat.

RobertSanDimas · 11 months ago

Is there any precedent for a complete re-do of this election? (just the MN Coleman/Franken one, folks, not the whole thing). :)

EmGD · 11 months ago

I'm expecting just as much outrage over this as that "Ballots in a KIA hatchback! J'accuse!" story from a few weeks back. Isn't everyone?

http://thesebastards.blogspot.com/

puoxond · 11 months ago

This must be educational for Franken. He'll have six years to reflect on the authenticity of his representation in DC.

Soundboy_jeff_meanie · 11 months ago

if the vote is THIS close between an incumbant and a newcomer... you really think Franken is the one who'd need to 'reflect' for six years??

in my view, it really says something about coleman.

TalismanFan · 11 months ago

It says something about both candidates. More voters made no choice than held their noses and voted. Or they voted for Barkley.

truebluecoondog · 11 months ago

A re-vote is the ONLY way. Unless, of course we just let some random group of judges decide. After all, isn't that the Amerikan way?

cowboyneok · 11 months ago

They definitely need to just do a re-vote after this. Besides, it was shown that if the Independent hadn't been on the ticket then Franken would have won easily. They need a RUN OFF!

ron071 · 11 months ago

This election cries out for a re-vote. Why is it so difficult to count votes? MN is being made into an electoral farce and a re-vote is the only answer.

benb · 11 months ago

"Even though, at the end of the recount, it will seem as if one candidate has won by a hair, the outcome will really be a statistical tie.

Luckily, Minnesota’s electoral law has a provision for ties. After all the counting and recounting, if the vote is statistically tied, the state should invoke the section of the law that requires the victor to be chosen by lot. It’s hard to swallow, but the right way to end the senatorial race between Mr. Coleman and Mr. Franken will be to flip a coin. "

I'm not for flipping a coin but I think it's unfair not to see the race as a tie.

from: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/04/opinion/04sei...

RIPWAMU · 11 months ago

Sounds like a run off is in order. There really doesn't seem to be voter integrity assurance here.

Wh0Cares · 11 months ago

I have a problem understanding how a country, whose former president (President Carter) routinely oversees elections in 3d world countries to ensure fairness, can have so many issues when it comes to fair elections. Does President Carter need to oversee this country's elections to ensure fairness?

MNPundit · 11 months ago

It's because states run elections.

Wh0Cares · 11 months ago

Maybe Carter should oversee problem-state election procedures.

Al Fan · 11 months ago

Has anyone checked to see if Normie has them?

green_libertarian · 11 months ago

Extremely suspect. Read how the folks running the precinct on Election day turned away students trying to vote until late in the day.

As of Tuesday night, Hennepin County officials had yet to recount ballots from Minneapolis’ Precinct 1, Ward 3. But when they do, there likely won’t be as many ballots to count as there were voters who tried to cast them.

http://tinyurl.com/64ds5v

Some poll worker that night obviously dumped those ballots.

David · 11 months ago

Someone should go to jail for dumping ballots.

jackson · 11 months ago

While I deeply hope Coleman is defeated what most disturbs me is not that the ballots favored Franken but that they were lost at all! It smacks of the same contempt of the voters expressed in BushVGore shutting down the recount. We need major election reform. The ballot is the only power the people have and it needs to be sacrosanct.

John · 11 months ago

Why does anyone blame the GOP if the mayor where the votes were lost is a DEM. In each re-count Coleman is ahead. Plane and simple. Why continue spending tax payer money on a recount. The law calls for the guy with the most votes to win. It's time for people to break away from two party system where no one is willing to listen to the other side. Shame on anyone that thinks the joke from SNL is still in this race.

Andrew · 11 months ago

This might be a scam done by either some Franken's or Coleman's supporter to steal the ballots first and then alter or falsify the ballots to benifit their favorit candidate. Let's just wait and see if this envelop will mysteriously resurface and how the vote tilt to specific candidate.....