DFL Election night party 3 a.m.
There was anxious waiting for the final polling results to see what the final result is of the Senate race. I finally left around 3:30. I wll post some other photos from the day after I see what Minnpost is going to use. Now for the recount. What a perfect end to this long dreadful race. I’ve been up for 24 hours. I’m going to take a nap.
10 Comments
Robb
November 5, 2008MINNESOTA SENATE FINAL VOTE
Norm Coleman 1,211,435 (42%)
Al Franken 1,211,091 (42%)
Dean Barkley 437,377 (15%)
Out of 2,859,903 votes cast
Difference: 344 votes
There will be a recount as required by Minnesota state law on margins this small.
Robb
November 5, 2008During a recount, a margin this small over 2.8 millions votes could easily change.
Terry Gydesen
November 5, 2008I think it’s a real longshot bet that a recount will end up with a different result. Robb, do you know of any instance that a recount changed the result? I think if one is going to make a sure thing bet, it’s that there will be more lawsuits, probably by both sides.
Robb
November 6, 2008The big statewide recount in Minnesota was back in the early 1960s between Rolvaag and the incumbent Elmer Anderson when the original tally had Anderson the winner and tehn the recount overturned the original tally. In modern times, of course, you have the Presidential election in Florida which overturned a national election that led our country into the abyss of war and economic disaster.
The difference between Coleman and Franken in this race is microscopic. Thousands of hands handle these ballots and the room for errors is large. There were 2.8 million ballots cast and the difference is less than one vote per 3 precincts. It will take weeks if not months to sort it all out.
And Coleman is continuing to be the ass he has proven himself to be throughout the campaign. He is accusing Franken of want to use the taxpayers money for an unnecessary recount. At this point the recount is required by Minnesota law and it doesn’t matter if Franken is for or against it.
Robb
November 6, 2008Also, there was a case in New Hampshire in the early 70s, I think it was 1974 when the Republican won the election day result by 355 voters (out of 200,000 cast — remember, there is currently a 342 vote margin between Coleman and Franken but it is out of 2.9 million votes cast). In New Hampshire there was a recount and the Democrat overturned the Republican by 10 votes. But more court challenges overturned the count twice more when finally the Republican governor of the state awarded the Republican the victory. You would have thought that ended it but not so. The U.S. Senate has the ultimate right to recognize and seat it members and they refused to succumb to the Republican governor and voted to declare the seat open. In August of the following year a special election was held and the Democrat John Durkin aided by a record turnout won with a larger margin. Experts in election law think this might well happen here in Minnesota also. The election of a person to this seat could carry out as long as nine or ten more months.
Robb
November 7, 2008The margin of difference is down to 236 now. Probably the closest election in history of the state, perhaps even, the nation in terms of total votes cast.
It could be months before we get a result in this race.
Robb
November 10, 2008The margin for Coleman is now down to 221. Apparently all the counties have 7 days in which they can count the vote before making their official tally for the Secretary of State. Over the weekend Coleman tried to get a court injunction to have 32 absentee ballots remain unopened. With a phenomenally high new voter registration, early and absentee voting much higher than usual in this election, and the largest number of votes ever cast in a Senate race in Minnesota, I’d say the outcome of this race is still up in the air.
Robb
November 10, 2008Also, as you had asked me to site a recount that ended with a different result than announced on election day, probably one of the most recent state level races was Washington State 2004 gubernatorial recount.
Democrat Christine Gregoire defeated Republican Dino Rossi by eight votes in the governor’s race recount after King County (city of Seattle) reports reversed the election day results. The similarities between that race and this one is that they are both statewide races, it was in a Presidential year with high voter turnouts in heavy Democratic precincts and the room or margin for error under those conditions was great.
The Republicans are going to scream all kinds of insults and allegations of fraud (unless they win) but that’s because they are sleezebags and Rove is still in Coleman’s corner.
Terry Gydesen
November 10, 2008Coleman will definitely cry foul if he loses. If Franken loses, then we have to hope that the lawsuit against him sticks then there would be a special election and we get to do it all over again. Oh joy.
Robb
November 13, 2008I think the turnaround in the Alaska Senate race with Ted Steven’s election day lead being over turned is quite amazing. A couple of factors in that race have been early voters and absentee ballots. Democrat challenger Mark Begich, along with Obama’s national effort put a lot of time and energy into getting their supporters to vote early and also pushed hard with absentee voting. These votes are making a big difference in the Alaska race. As close as Alaska is, there are only roughly 270,000 votes in contrast to the 2.9 millions votes cast here in Minnesota.