Franken gets good news from board

Posted: Friday, December 12, 2008 1:52 PM by Mark Murray
Filed Under: States, Democrats, Republicans

From NBC's Mark Murray
In the latest in the Coleman-Franken recount, Minnesota's canvassing board today 1) recommended that counties begin counting mistakenly rejected absentee ballots, and 2) voted to count the missing 133 ballots from a Minneapolis precinct.

The AP on the absentee ballot ruling: "It's a boost to Democrat Al Franken, who has fought hard for their inclusion. Republican Sen. Norm Coleman leads Franken in unofficial tallies. The directions are voluntary because the state board's members say they don't have the power to force counties to do it. At least 630 absentees are known to have been erroneously rejected, but state officials say it could be more than 1,500."

More from the Pioneer Press: "Franken also received unexpected good news when Deputy Secretary of State Jim Gelbmann dropped a mini-bombshell, telling the board that in overwhelmingly Democratic Duluth — which has not officially tallied rejected absentees — about 40 percent of that city's 319 rejected absentee ballots were mistakenly rejected. Gelbmann said the city rejected the votes because either the voter or the witness did not date their signatures. He said he couldn't find any state law to support such a rejection."

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Comments

The thought of Al Franken in the Senate makes my skin crawl. Whenever I see the guy, I think of him on SNL with his stupid "... and I'm Al Franken" bit.

Rob, from Iowa (Sent Friday, December 12, 2008 2:04 PM)

Good by Norm,now you will have time to attend to the FBI investigation into the illegal campaign contributions that where funneled thru your wife's employer.You see it goes on everywhere.

jesse St.Paul Minnesota (Sent Friday, December 12, 2008 2:14 PM)

WHY , Why do they do this? If ballots where rejected because signatures where not dated, but there is no state law requiring it, why do they have a place for the date? get it off there! if ballots/registration/ ets. where made to be compliant with the law there would be less mistakes due to superflous 'errors'

Sighing, in MN (Sent Friday, December 12, 2008 2:16 PM)

Colman is being investigated by the FBI. I wonder how close this election would be if that information was available before November 4. Things are looking good for Franken...and bad for the governor of Illinois.

Ron Indiana (Sent Friday, December 12, 2008 2:19 PM)

Indeed good news for the majority in the new Senate. I'm sure Franken won't be a corrupt, turncoat like LIE-berman in the north and dueling Mell down south.
_________________________________________________________________
Union busting is bad for the economy the same as the civil war devastating for5 the economy.

- beverly in chicago

---------------------

How dramatic. So when you figure out how to pay the Big 3 employess union wages, and at the same time be competitive with the non-union shops, then please, send that information to Obama. He obviously doesn't have a clue.
I.Swain (Sent Friday, December 12, 2008 11:30 AM)
--------------------- Obviously, you're aren't aware President Elect is “NO Drama Obama”
there can be millions of jobs by making the single largest new investment in our national infrastructure since the creation of the federal highway system under Eisenhower . Even Schwarzenegger, a republican, will agree to his beleaguered state. That, Swain .in my opinion, could especially be feasible if we stop paying for a dumb war, perhaps stopping the financial-segment getting their useless toilet paper rescue. You too can add your ideas and join the discussions at www.change.gov

Beverly in Chicago (Sent Friday, December 12, 2008 2:19 PM)

Before all you right wing nuts get yourselves all in a tither, this is the legal process that is being followed - Franken is NOT, and I repeat, NOT stealing votes. This is just what happens when the race is this close - literally, every single vote does in fact count. If it was an improperly rejected absentee vote, and if the law says it should have been counted, and if after they are all counted, Franken has the most votes, then he wins, legally, and without question. Same goes for the other one.

Pat Huntington NY (Sent Friday, December 12, 2008 2:20 PM)

Well it looks like Franken may pull this one off afterall. I hope he works as hard in the Senate as he has to make sure these votes are counted.

Ms. Roman (Sent Friday, December 12, 2008 2:26 PM)

For all of those who will bash the Minnesota process, hear this: while it is proceeding slowly, it is in fact ensuring that every vote is correctly counted. In the true spirit of non-partisanship, I truly hope that all can agree that how the voters intended to vote should be the most desirable outcome here!

ehenly, St. Paul, MN (Sent Friday, December 12, 2008 2:28 PM)

My question about the rejected absentee ballots is whether the owners of the rejected ballots were contacted prior to the election.
--If so, they had ample opportunity to fix the problem and I say let them stay rejected.
(Specifically if some people from the rejected ballots then went and voted).

--If not, well, then their votes should count.

So, these are the outstanding questions in my mind before I make an opinion. Too often I see people write on a blog or hear people on the radio forcing an opinion, bashing the opposite side and sticking with it without knowing the facts. And that is more a question of what does that mean for America (it certainly explains how so many mistakes are made with our political leaders).

Nicholas: Minnesota (Sent Friday, December 12, 2008 2:36 PM)

finally some good news for al franken, AT FIRST I WAS FOR HIM IN THE RECOUNT BUT AFTER THE LAST COUPLE OF WEEKS IT IS PLAIN AND SIMPLE THAT COLEMAN WON UNFORTUNATELY!! SO AL ITS ABOUT TIME TO GIVE UP YOUR JOURNEY AND GO BACK TO SNL PLAYING STUART SMALLEY. SORRY FELLOW DEMOCRAT FRANKEN YOU LOST FAIR AND SQUARE!!

GREG REMINGTON (Sent Friday, December 12, 2008 2:49 PM)

What can be done to save the season for the Motor City Detroit Lions? How about that Mr. Bush and Senate? Whatcha gonna do for our home team? Waiting for relief.

Derrick, Allen Park, MI (Sent Friday, December 12, 2008 2:53 PM)

Derrick, Allen Park:

Some things just can't be bailed out. And I don't think the Seahawks are part of your remaining schedule. Our governor has been completely inept with the professional sports scene here.

Richard, Washington State (Sent Friday, December 12, 2008 5:17 PM)

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