MN Recount - Local Elec Officials vindicated

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Sunday December 05, 2010 · 6:41 AM PST

2010/12/05 · 06:41

Yesterday, the election officials in the most populous county in Minnesota had their revenge on the GOP for their tactic of challenging ballots during Minnesota's statewide hand recount in the race for Governor. The Interim Director of Elections for Minneapolis is one such local election official who had to watch as thousands of legitimate ballot determinations were improperly challenged by GOP volunteers as part of a misguided effort to shift public perception of their candidate's fortunes during the hand recount.

Saturday turned out to be the resolution of a few pretty stunning events, at least from a legal-historical perspective, and amounts to yet another vindication of the professionalism and nonpartisanship of local officials charged with ensuring the integrity of Minnesota's elections.

Yesterday's events, and their context, after the cut...

Poll

22 votes Show Results

Hand Recount of Ballots in Close Races

22 votes Vote Now!

Hand Recount of Ballots in Close Races

Political process

1 vote

Administrative process

21 votes

MN-Sen: Coleman's Equal Protection Claim

underwhelm

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Thursday January 29, 2009 · 4:37 AM PST

2009/01/29 · 04:37

Coleman's Equal Protection Claim
The theory of Coleman's case has been a moving target. He first filed his contest on January 6, but the filing (LARGE PDF) took great pains not to specify exactly what problems Coleman had with the election. Lots of "by way of example only"s and complaints about "matters and things." Franken sought to dismiss the contest for being insufficiently specific, but the motion to dismiss failed.

Inside, I take a stab at discussing Coleman's ever-evolving equal protection claim, as I understand it.

underwhelm

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Saturday January 24, 2009 · 3:04 AM PST

2009/01/24 · 03:04

I watched the arguments for summary judgment in the Coleman election contest yesterday, and there's a possibility that the trial will be short and sweet.

There appear to be three real issues in the case, four if you consider the Minneapolis precinct counting missing ballots and a Maplewood precinct counting found ballots to be separate issues.

Inside, I discuss the issues, and how the contest panel's rulings are already narrowing Coleman's case. (Also, don't miss WineRev's daily recap! Also.)

Poll

79 votes Show Results

Coleman's election contest

79 votes Vote Now!

Coleman's election contest

Threat

22 votes

Menace

57 votes

MN Sen: Coleman Election Contest & Bush v. Gore

underwhelm

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Thursday January 08, 2009 · 4:59 AM PST

2009/01/08 · 04:59

Both the Franken and Coleman campaigns have made frequent references to the latest word out of the Supreme Court on election law, Bush v. Gore. It turns out that despite SCOTUS's statement that Bush v. Gore "is limited to the present circumstances, for the problem of equal protection in election processes generally presents many complexities," it has loomed over the Minnesota Senate Recount. Now that Coleman has filed his election contest, it has the potential to do more than loom.

Minnesota's law governing election contests was written in 1959, and Bush v. Gore was decided in 2000. After the break, I explain where I see a conflict...

Poll

72 votes Show Results

Bush v Gore

72 votes Vote Now!

Bush v Gore

Important expression of constitution's guarantee of equal protection

4 votes

Craptacular

68 votes

Coleman Election Contest Forecast (UPDATED 3x)

underwhelm

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Tuesday January 06, 2009 · 4:05 AM PST

2009/01/06 · 04:05

So Franken has a 225 vote lead, and ~~it appears that~~ Norm Coleman ~~is going to~~ has filed an election contest. ~~Frankly, I think it's still possible he won't, but more on that in a bit.~~

An election contest is a statutory procedure where "[a]ny eligible voter, including a candidate" can contest the determination of who got the most votes. A contest is heard by a three-judge panel in Ramsey County. The three judges will be appointed by Chief Justice Manguson.

In a contest, either party can request an inspection (recanvass) of some or all (!) of the ballots. If Norm loses, he will have to pay all costs. The standard of proof in an election contest is a preponderance of the evidence (more likely than not), and the burden is on the contestant (Norm).

There are a few issues we can expect Norm to raise in an election contest:

Poll

201 votes Show Results

Strongest motivation for Coleman to contest/not to contest

201 votes Vote Now!

Strongest motivation for Coleman to contest/not to contest

He actually won

4 votes

He wants to be MN's Senator really bad

23 votes

The GOP said he could be Senator

18 votes

The GOP will reward him richly for pursuing a frivolous challenge

141 votes

pie

15 votes

GOP: Systematic Student Suppression? UPDATED

underwhelm

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Monday November 03, 2008 · 4:36 PM PST

2008/11/03 · 16:36

A few hours ago a Grinnell alum diaried about a Republican effort to challenge Grinnell student votes in Grinnell, IA.

Apparently the challenge was partially successful. But a Grinnell College professor suggests this may be part of a systematic effort to challenge college students nationwide.

underwhelm

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Thursday October 23, 2008 · 6:44 PM PDT

2008/10/23 · 18:44

Obama is in McCain's head.

Obama says "spread the wealth,"
John McCain hears that as "redistribution of wealth" and is SHOCKED!
McCain repeats it ad nauseam, thinking he's really got Obama by the nuts this time.
Obama wins

Here's how...

Poll

39 votes Show Results

I would prefer

39 votes Vote Now!

I would prefer

wealth redistribution

4 votes

spreading wealth

17 votes

pie

18 votes

Obama's Landslide Victory

underwhelm

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Friday January 04, 2008 · 2:02 PM PST

2008/01/04 · 14:02

Having participated in my second Iowa caucus (Dean in 2004, Edwards in 2008), and having suffered the slings and arrows of Kos's endless criticisms of the Iowa Democratic Caucus as undemocratic, I wanted to pass along some precinct "internals" that might interest supporters of the progressive cause...

This was originally posted as a comment, but I wanted to clarify and flesh it out a bit for everyone:

Poll

62 votes Show Results

Strategic voting in the Iowa Caucus

62 votes Vote Now!

Strategic voting in the Iowa Caucus

Undemocratic and also the work of the devil

13 votes

Very 19th century

16 votes

I could be lured with pie

33 votes

Electronic Voting and Why The Election is Dubious

underwhelm

Community (This content is not subject to review by Daily Kos staff prior to publication.)

Sunday November 07, 2004 · 6:02 AM PST

2004/11/07 · 06:02

I am very frustrated at the level of confusion about the viability of electronic voting and what it means for past and future elections.

Many IT professionals have written at some length about electonic voting, its shortcomings and its advantages. If electronic voting is done right, it can be just as trustworthy as any other balloting system. There is no reason for complete Luddism. There is, however, an enormous problem with the system as it exists today.(MUCH MORE) Read More

RSS

MN Recount - Local Elec Officials vindicated

MN-Sen: Coleman's Equal Protection Claim

MN Senate Contest: Coleman Getting Squeezed

MN Sen: Coleman Election Contest & Bush v. Gore

Coleman Election Contest Forecast (UPDATED 3x)

GOP: Systematic Student Suppression? UPDATED

Trojan Horse Framing

Obama's Landslide Victory

Electronic Voting and Why The Election is Dubious