Franken Camp Warns Of Another Potential Disaster: Missing Ballots
Just in case you thought the Minnesota recount couldn't get any messier...
The Franken campaign is now calling attention to yet another wrinkle in the Minnesota recount: Reports from around the state that ballots have been going missing. In many cases the missing ballots have been recovered, but the idea that something like this could happen -- and that maybe some ballots won't be found -- is obviously alarming in a recount where every single vote counts.
"Missing ballots are not automatically an indicator of foul play -- but they should be a serious matter and cause for concern," lead Franken recount lawyer Marc Elias said in the press briefing we reported on earlier.
The Franken campaign has sent a letter to the Secretary of State's office, asking them to order the local election officials to supply both the Franken and Coleman campaigns with all the relevant information over how many people voted, plus the original Election Night tallies from the precincts and other data.
So just in case this recount ends with one candidate ahead by only a dozen or so votes, the other candidate -- regardless of who it is -- might have a new legal basis to challenge the result in court. Fun stuff.
Franken is handling this like a Republican--playing hardball and leaving nothing to chance. Great!
November 24, 2008 6:31 PM | Reply | Permalink
Damn right. Getting underneath this headline, the Star Trib reported that two missing ballots for one county were found in the warehouse where the ballot boxes were locked up. Seems that static electricity was the culprit; two ballots were stuck inside the box.
There's been other missing ballots that have yet to be explained.
I disagree with the notion that the MN recount is "messy." MN is being transparent about what is happening and explaining every item of contention. I am really pleased with the honesty around the process. It's great to have a recount process that kicks in right away, explains things as it goes, and focuses on the most important outcome: counting every vote.
November 24, 2008 6:54 PM | Reply | Permalink
Second that. I think Richie and the ballot counters are doing a hell of a job under lousy conditions (that being the all the nonsensical challenges). I know that it makes for nice press to try to create drama by hyperbole, but I think that the race is dramatic enough on its own without disparaging those who are performing admirably.
November 25, 2008 10:59 AM | Reply | Permalink
it's been interesting watching and comparing how relatively orderly and calm this process has been compared with my memories of Florida 2000.
That said, there's a particular sort of frivolous challenge that Coleman's been making that I fervently hope he wins, the kind where there's a McCain vote either paired with a Franken vote, or no vote in the Senate race. If it goes up to a court, and Franken's lawyers are faced with allowing that sort of challenge to go through (not how it works, I'm sure), they should say "YES PLEASE!" because Obama kicked butt in the state, and if every Obama vote were somehow construed as a vote for Franken, the way Coleman's people seem to be arguing in terms of McCain voters, then....well, we wouldn't be having the recount, for one thing....
November 24, 2008 7:19 PM | Reply | Permalink
I'm happy Franken is not caving in. Republicans will do anything at all to win, the least a Democratic candidate should do is anything legal.
November 24, 2008 7:32 PM | Reply | Permalink
I'm disgusted with both of them. Coleman is a snake and Franken is frankly just not a very likeable candidate. He's no Wellstone when it comes to that and can't compete with Senator Amy - tell me which way the wind is blowing, I wouldn't know a principle if I tripped over one - Klobuchar.
November 24, 2008 7:40 PM | Reply | Permalink
I didn't actually think the MN recount looked all that messy. From this distance at least it seems to be plodding along in a fairly orderly fashion, as recounts go -- nothing like how they do these things in Jersey, for example.
November 24, 2008 7:54 PM | Reply | Permalink
What Jersey recount are you referring to?
November 24, 2008 10:04 PM | Reply | Permalink
Totally off topic, but it's a great day and a huge concession by the king. I just heard on msnbc that hamdan has been released to Yemen. Yeah!!!! After his aquittal, the king vowed to keep him locked up until obama took office. I guess he is starting to see the handwriting on the wall. Can you say war crimes? Yeah!!!!! I wish they would have released him in the US, there would have been a gd parade. What a crime.
November 24, 2008 9:03 PM | Reply | Permalink
OT Bring Tena Back!
November 24, 2008 9:35 PM | Reply | Permalink
Please Tena come back. This place isn't the same without you. Kind of like a morgue around here now.
November 25, 2008 10:12 AM | Reply | Permalink