Minn. Senate Race Tightens In Recount

How close is close? How about 115 votes. That’s all that separate incumbent Norm Coleman from Al Franken. That is a frigheningly close figure, with 40% of the recount still to come.

According to CBS: Coleman entered the recount with a 215-vote edge over Franken. That lead has dropped to 115 votes when comparing totals in precincts where the new count is complete. But the figure doesn’t include ballot challenges, which have caused vote tallies for both men to drop.

There have been 1,525 challenges between the campaigns, although some could be withdrawn before the Canvassing Board’s Dec. 16 meeting.

Officials for Coleman and Franken said Friday they’ll review the hundreds of challenges they’ve made so far in their Senate race recount - and withdraw some - before the state Canvassing Board meets next month to consider them.

Minnesota’s Senate battle is one of two that are unresolved, with Georgia’s headed for a Dec. 2 run-off. If Democrats win both, they would have a 60 seat majority in the Senate.

The mounting pile of challenged ballots is becoming a significant factor in the overtime Senate race. It has nibbled into the vote totals of Coleman and Franken compared with the precinct-by-precinct counts on Nov. 4.”

Secretary of State Mark Ritchie said he expects the recount to be about three-quarters done by the end of Saturday. But no one knows yet who will be the winner.

Sphere: Related Content