Franken pushes his lead over Coleman past 250

[kpete]

Source: Minneopolis Star Tribune

Franken pushes his lead over Coleman past 250

The state Canvassing Board's ballot rulings today in the U.S. Senate race has unofficially put challenger Al Franken in the lead by more than 250.

By PAUL WALSH, Star Tribune

The intense scrutiny of "voter intent" resumed this morning by the five-member board charged with directing Minnesota's recount in the U.S. Senate race between incumbent Republican Norm Coleman and Democratic rival Al Franken, and the first 90 minutes of ballot rulings turned the challenger's slight deficit into a growing triple-digit lead.

Also this morning, the State Canvassing Board sidestepped the Coleman team's proposal to prevent as many as 150 ballots from being counted twice. Talking about instances when a ballot couldn't be run through a voting machine, requiring a duplicate to be made, the Coleman camp said that such ballots should be counted only if an original could be matched with its copy.

However, board members today ruled that the duplicates should not be addressed by the board but in "another forum," said Board Chairman Mark Ritchie. But it will consider the ballots if there are questions about the intent of the voters who cast them, the board said.

Read more: http://www.startribune.com/politics/national/senate/36438459.html?elr=KArksD:aDyaEP:kD:aUnc5PDiUiD3aPc:_Yyc:aUU

[underpants]

1. knock on wood

Still waiting for the final final FINAL count

[BOSSHOG]

2. They'll pass this to the BCS for quasi final resolution

[gratuitous]

4. Aw crap, that means Oklahoma wins

Or some other undeserving Big 12 football factory to go galumphing into the final only to get its ass handed to it.

[CottonBear]

3. *fingers crossed*

Once again, Republicans seek to suppress the vote. :grr:

I only wish that my fellow Georgians had turned out to vote for Democratic senate candidate Jim Martin in the December 2 runoff. Them, we Democrats would have had 60 votes in the senate if Mr. Franken can hold on to win in Minnesota! Many of our first time Georgia voters voted only for Obama in the general election and left all other federal, state and local ballots unmarked (under votes) and then did not turn out at all for the runoff.
:(
Maybe we can mobilize voters to vote out Senator Johnny Isakon in a few years now that we are stuck with Shameless Saxby Chambliss for another 6 years.

[kanrok]

5. + 284

n/t

[hadrons]

8. I think even if all those Obama voted for Martin it still wouldn't have pushed him to 50% ....

Chambliss still got more votes anyone else down there (including Obama or McCain) ... why I couldn't tell you. I think Isakson might be running for Gov. though

[CottonBear]

14. Perhaps. We were SO close though! Oh well.

I'd love to have at least one Democratic senator. *sigh* The last one we had (Zell Miller) didn't work out so well for us. :(

[truthisfreedom]

6. Landdate! Manslide!

[Capt. America]

7. See what happens when we dont let Rethugs suppress votes.

[Phred42]

9. Actually OVERALL total is Franken +74

still good

http://senaterecount.startribune.com/ballots/

[Gabi Hayes]

10. from your link:

Coleman 1,209,253
Franken 1,209,502
Margin Franken by 249

[Gabi Hayes]

13. also:

http://www.startribune.com/politics/national/senate/

[Phred42]

21. Yep - you are Correct!

:toast:

[merwin]

22. Franken by 78 is the projected outcome

[Odin2005]

11. YAY!!! Go Al!!! n/t.

[Belial]

12. idiots

If people were not so damn stupid and would actually learn how to vote.. it would sure speed things up quite a bit!

[Owl]

15. Go Franken! I agree though... geez....

[Auggie]

16. Gosh darnit... I like Al

He'll fight for P-E-O-P-L-E

[Dem_in_Nebr.]

17. Yes, he will!

And he'll have fun doing it! :-)

Give 'em Hell, Al!!!

:toast:

[MasonJar]

18. Georgians, I do commisserate with you. I am sick that you did not

oust that cheating scum bag Chambliss. What he and the machines did to Max Cleland was shameful. However, his time too will come. He will be useless for Georgia for some time to come. Maybe the state will welcome Martin in a few years of Democratic rule. I am from Kentucky and so know the heartache of hope. We had Mitch running scared; I can guarantee Bunning is history in 2010. I so hope he runs.

[mascarax]

19. Looking good!

But Norm won't give up easily, I know. Bastard.

[LisaL]

20. I hope Franken's lead keeps. I stayed up until 4 am on election

night to follow that race. Who knew we still wouldn't know who the winner is.

[mdmc]

23. kick