Why doesn't MN just have a run-off between Franken/Coleman?

[gmoney]

Since they obviously can't count what they have, wouldn't a run-off make sense? Or is that more likely to favor Coleman by picking up votes that went to the 3rd guy back on Nov 4?

[jberryhill]

1. Because they are following the law in Minnesota

It's not a "make it up as you go along" sort of thing. The MN law sets forth how elections will be conducted, and that's the procedure they are following.

[Bucky]

15. Law-shmaw. They should have a horse shoe pitchin' contest to decide it

[librechik]

2. I read that if a runoff is held, it too would very likely be too close to call.

Patience. We don't do what the Pukkkes do, rush and rush and throw fear into the people so as to ram things through that have no legality, just on sheer power. We follow the rules.

[Bucky]

16. Run off? Fuhgeddaboudit! They should decide with a spittin' contest

[LynneSin]

3. I wish they would, I just think whomever win is going to have a major uphill battle

as being considered 'legitimate' since this race was way too close to call. It's clear the 3rd party candidate had an impact on the election although I do believe the 3rd party candidate received some votes from folks who may not have voted if it was just Coleman vs. Franken. But I think there should be a runoff of the top 2 candidates and eliminate any question of who really won this election.

But that's not Minnesota law; however, I suspect after this election it will be. Hell, Saxby Chamblis had a clear 2% lead over Jim Martin and they still had a runoff since neither had 50%. A month later it was all decided nice and clean.

[Proud Liberal Dem]

21. Re: Chambliss

Plus it gave Palin a chance to campaign for Chambliss and score a major victory against Obama and help her pad her resume for 2012.

It also signaled a new countrywide shift in momentum TOWARDS the Republicans.

:eyes:

Oh, and whether it was "nice and clean" with Diebold in the picture, is always debatable (though it didn't sound like we had a very good candidate either).

[ashling]

4. It would not be a "runoff", but a revote, redo, etc.

and how would it change anything? They'd still end up in the same place ... except, of course, that now the parties are free to get more involved. More GOP filth and fraud.

[gmoney]

5. well, getting the third guy out of there would change things...

And with nothing else on the ballot, it should be easy to count, and none of this shit of Coleman challenging split-party ballots (McCain/Franken)...

Or maybe we should just let Blago run an auction for the seat?

[Eric J in MN]

7. It would be a runoff, since Dean Barkley wouldn't be included...

...if we had a new election in which the top two candidates competed.

Dean Barkley, the Independence Party candidate, got 15%.

[LynneSin]

8. I think both of these candidates received 42% of the vote each

which means the 3rd party canidate had a major impact on this election.

I like the Louisiana and Georgia runoff plan where if no one gets 50% of the votes then you have a runoff with the top 2 contenders. It also gives 3rd parties a fighting chance in these elections since if I felt 3rd party was the best option I wouldn't be risking turning it over to the party I really really don't want to win. (Ie voting for a green helps the republican type thing). If one party gets over 50% then clearly the 3rd party candidate had no impact and if no one gets 50% then you take the top 2 candidates and let them do a runoff.

[Bucky]

18. No revote! They should have a sit-on-log-pillow-fight to resolve this election

[w4rma]

6. Because the law says that what they are doing now is what we have to do. Ruled by laws not men. (nt)

[gmoney]

11. Oh you people and your fancy so-called LAWS...

...we should send our Brooks Brothers mob to MN to pound on the windows of the SOS offices!

[jberryhill]

17. That's.... okay

I will not beat myself up.

[Eric J in MN]

9. Minnesota should change the law for future US Senate elections.

Whether Norm Coleman or Al Franken wins, the winner will be viewed as illegitimate by half of Minnesota.

The twists-and-turns in a recount assures that (ballots missing, ballots found which hadn't been known to be missing.)

It would be better if MN law said that when the US Senate candidates finish between .5% on Election Night, that we have a new election with just the candidates in that margin in December.

[Bucky]

19. They should change the law.... to settling all close election by fish swallowing contest!

[stahbrett]

10. I wish that we had "Range Voting" in place - probably would have helped to solve this mess

With Range Voting, each voter can rate each candidate on the ballot on a scale (0-99, for example). Then you just average each candidate's ratings, and the candidate with the highest average rating wins.

This would let folks who want to vote for a 3rd-party candidate do so, while still accurately expressing their opinions on the other candidates in the race.

(So the folks who voted for the 3rd party candidate in this MN Senate race, they may give him a 99 rating, and Franken an 80, and Coleman a 10, as one example).

[Bucky]

20. I agree, if by "range voting" you mean they have a beer chugging contest to decide

[Saturday]

12. 1 reason might be that it would cost too much. nt

[elocs]

13. The Senate should refuse to seat whoever is the winner and force a special election.

I don't care if the winner is Franken or Coleman, they would not be viewed as legitimate. Also, I would hope that every state would have elections which are conducted as cleanly and honestly as those in Minnesota. I realize that many at DU want to pump up everything to be an election theft or conspiracy, but I would hold up Minnesota's election process as an example to many states in this nation.

[Bucky]

14. Run offs are boring. I think they should have knife fight to see who'll be senator

Maybe one of those deals where they're put in a chalk circle and their left ankles are bound to each other's--then just start jabbin'.

[PBS Poll-435]

22. Sadly, there is the possibility that the result will be determined by a coin-toss.

nt

[WI_DEM]

23. In some race here in WI it was so close that the two candidates tossed a coin to decide the winner!

[Occam Bandage]

24. Run-offs? Nah. MN has a good, ol'-fashioned wrasslin' match. nt