Naming '08 Minn. Senate winner will take until '09 (Franken ahead by 47)

[Robbien]

Source: AP

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — Minnesota voters won't know who won the state's U.S. Senate race this year, and it's looking more likely that the new Congress will be sworn in before the race ends between Democrat Al Franken and Republican incumbent Norm Coleman.

The state Canvassing Board on Tuesday scheduled a Jan. 5 meeting and its chairman said the panel's work could spill into Jan. 6 — the day the next Congress convenes.

Democrat Al Franken leads Republican Sen. Norm Coleman with an increasingly small number of ballots yet to consider. Franken finished the day up 47 votes, according to a preliminary report by the secretary of state's office. An earlier report by the office had placed the margin at 48 votes but the Canvassing Board made one correction costing Franken a vote.

Secretary of State Mark Ritchie said there is no way the board will certify a winner this year. Counties have until Dec. 31 to forward uncounted absentee ballots to the board for possible inclusion. Ritchie's office and the campaigns could agree to extend that deadline a few days.

Read more: http://www.mlive.com/elections/national/index.ssf?/base/politics-1/123004975912250.xml&storylist=politics

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What is ironic is today PowerLine is reporting:

The race is going down to the wire, but it appears that the Coleman campaign no longer has the confidence it once did. That is manifested, I think, in today's 16-vote effort and in the fact that it is now the Coleman campaign that reminds us hopefully that "there are still over a thousand rejected absentee ballots that remain outstanding."

Coleman who went to court and lost in his attempt to toss out the absentee ballots is now placing all his hopes on the counting of those absentee ballots.

[hadrons]

1. Hmmm, so isn't this where Coleman will concedes to spare Mn. the expense ...

crickets

I thought so

[Submariner]

2. How true

"Yesterday the voters spoke. We prevailed," Coleman said Wednesday at a news conference. He noted Franken could opt to waive the recount.

"It's up to him whether such a step is worth the tax dollars it will take to conduct," Coleman said, telling reporters he would "step back" if he were in Franken's position.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/11/05/coleman-declares-victory_n_141325.html

It's time to step back wanker.