3025 of 4130 | Original Total | Recount total | Gain/ Loss |
Coleman | 809454 | 808785 | -669 | -167 | Current Margin |
Franken | 784022 | 783401 | -621 | 48 | Franken Gain |
I'm late tonight because I have been researching a mystery about why the undervotes have not been counted at the same pace as the ballots.
I have compiled a lot of process information while researching the undervote issue which i will share with everyone below the fold.
COUNTY | Ballots Remaining | Uncounted Undervotes | Franken Margin |
HENNEPIN | 239509 | 8143 | 18153 |
RAMSEY | 155756 | 4068 | -285 |
DAKOTA | 99627 | 2063 | -8885 |
ANOKA | 29018 | 1521 | -10370 |
ST. LOUIS | 23695 | 1444 | -475 |
STEARNS | 15542 | 961 | -459 |
WINONA | 27236 | 802 | -1551 |
SCOTT | 66659 | 662 | -439 |
BLUE EARTH | 34707 | 476 | 816 |
SHERBURNE | 44710 | 411 | -395 |
Total | 968260 | 24141 | |
Minnesota officials have done a great job of counting all the votes. They have also provided almost everything needed to follow recount proceedings. The Recount Plan provides for counting every ballot and the data released shows that every accepted ballot has been included in the recount.
Minnesota Secretary of State’s Administrative Recount Procedures For the General Election, November 4, 2008
- All ballots properly cast on Election Day, and all non-rejected absentee ballots properly cast and received by an election official before 8:00 p.m. Election Day (including those cast by voters who were in line to vote by 8:00 p.m. on Election Day) will be counted.
- One of the Table Officials will sort the ballots into three piles, based upon the principles of voter intent outlined in Minnesota Statutes, section 204C.22: one pile for Coleman, one for Franken, and one for all other ballots (those for other candidates, undervotes, overvotes, etc.). The Table Official must make it clear into which pile he or she is placing the ballot and allow both candidates’ representatives to view the ballot. Candidate representatives are not allowed to touch or otherwise handle a ballot.
Everything I have seen shows that all the accepted ballots have been counted properly.
The following process story included a line that had me concerned.
By CHRISTINA CAPECCHI, New York Times:
.At a Ramsey County government building near downtown St. Paul, dozens of observers stood aside as 21 boxes of ballots sealed with blue plastic fasteners were wheeled into a recount room Wednesday morning.
Inside, election officials piled ballots into three stacks: one for Franken, one for Coleman and a third pile for other candidates. The sounds of low murmuring voices and the flapping of paper filled the room, and volunteer observers from both campaigns sat watching at each table.
My research shows that the "other" pile does include undervotes and overvotes. I have not researched the acceptance rate and it's effect on the ballot totals. That's should be done and added into tomorrow nights report.
Since almost half (24,141 of 46,869) of the ballots that didn't include a vote for Senate in the original count are still outstanding we have to hope the Franken Camp redoubles their effort to ensure these ballots are properly counted and we can hope they will swing in the favor of the future Senator Franken.