Franken camp inquires about absentees

Posted: Monday, November 17, 2008 3:42 PM by Domenico Montanaro
Filed Under: Congress

From NBC's Abby Livingston
There is a new development in the photo finish that is the Minnesota U.S. Senate race.

Today, the Franken campaign filed a brief with the Minnesota State Canvassing Board to learn why some absentee ballots were rejected and to determine if any of those rejections were improper.

The campaign cited various reasons oversights might have occurred with absentee ballots, including human error and various technicalities.

Franken spokesman Andy Barr also quoted an audit observation project coordinator for the Citizens for Election Integrity Minnesota who said the voting machines were 99.9% accurate. If that is true, the remaining 0.1 percentage point margin of error would be about 15 times more than the 206 votes that separate Franken and Coleman.

The recount for all the ballots will begin on Wednesday.

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Comments

Still not enough votes Al? We just need another night in the back room with a Sharpie and some leftover ballots. How many do you need again?

Minnesota Election Official (Sent Monday, November 17, 2008 3:51 PM)

Isn't it amazing that all the votes the Democrats have found in MN have gone towards Franken? And they haven't even started in the recount yet!

Divine Intervention (Sent Monday, November 17, 2008 3:53 PM)

It seems like every 16 years or so, Minnesota voters have to completely embarrass themselves.

Al's Mom (Sent Monday, November 17, 2008 3:55 PM)

One has to count very carefully when one doesn't own the Supreme Court.

Gary Schear, Bozeman Montana (Sent Monday, November 17, 2008 4:01 PM)

The GOP/RNC just can not help themselves in continuing their "Culture of Corruption!" They just love to turn every election, at any level, into a mad little mystery. The "lunatics" on the far right of the GOP/RNC are not going to just go away. They plan to cause as much confusion as possible, so everyone will look in another direction. That is fact!!

Rock,Janesville,Wisconsin (Sent Monday, November 17, 2008 4:06 PM)

Keep up the fight Franken. Don't let Republicans not count legitimate ballots.

Sam

SamReed Mercedes TX (Sent Monday, November 17, 2008 4:16 PM)

I find it curious that the GOP is calling foul against the Democrats because all of the "anomalies" in the vote count so far have favored Frankin.

The real question could just as easily be "How was the GOP rigging the initial tallies such that these errors were able to pass through to the point they did?" The argument cuts both ways.

Brian Norwood, Bethlehem, PA (Sent Monday, November 17, 2008 4:30 PM)

It's still not too late. If you want to vote for Franken, Minnesota is still taking votes until Franken has passed Coleman. But hurry, this deal can't last forever, or can it? Acorn voters, vote early, vote late, don't hesitate. Al Solid Gold Franken can't wait.

Roxy Teolt, Milwaukee, WI (Sent Monday, November 17, 2008 4:31 PM)

Anytime Republicans are involved in counting votes it you have to wonder how many votes "accidentally" don't get counted.

Kathy, Vista, CA (Sent Monday, November 17, 2008 4:42 PM)

Why is it that the GOP is always fighting to throw votes out?

Steve O (Sent Monday, November 17, 2008 4:45 PM)

No, divine intervention. It just proves that the republicans are working to steal another election.

topher (Sent Monday, November 17, 2008 4:47 PM)

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