FRANKEN UP BY 4 VOTES after hand count, camp says:

[Ellipsis]

Al Franken's campaign says the Democratic senate challenger is up by four votes after completion of a hand recount in Minnesota, his campaign said Friday.

All precincts in the state had completed their recount except for one Minneapolis polling place where 133 ballots have gone missing since Election Day. Franken attorney Marc Elias said he was optimistic that the ballots would be found.

The ballots are believed to have been in an envelope marked "1/5" on Election Night, and local officials are searching for that envelope. The hand recount in that precinct is still technically ongoing while the search for those ballots continues.

The four-vote margin Elias claims Franken is ahead by assumes the ballots will eventually be found in the Democratic precinct. With the hand-count of ballots complete (aside from those 133), state election officials will move on to considering some 6,000-plus challenged ballots.

http://rawstory.com/news/2008/Franken_up_by_4_votes_after_1205.html


Now thats a squeeker!

[Cha]

1. The suspense must be

traumatic for the Franken camp and supporters!

[polichick]

2. Must be - it's traumatic even for me just watching!

[Ellipsis]

7. I can't begin to imagine what Al must be feeling.

He certainly isn't getting a lot of sleep.

I look forward to his telling of the saga and wish him the best.

[Renew Deal]

3. If they can't find those 133 ballots, they don't exist.

So I hope they find them.

[Ellipsis]

4. Secretary of State's office could restore the missing votes even if the envelope is never found.

Just added to the article...

"Talking Points Memo reported Friday that the Secretary of State's office could restore the missing votes even if the envelope is never found by reverting the count in that precinct to the numbers recorded on Election Night, when the ballots were first counted."

http://tpmelectioncentral.talkingpointsmemo.com/2008/12/official_lost_ballots_could_be.php

[Renew Deal]

5. I hope the fairest thing happens.

So if those votes truly existed, then they should be counted.

[Nicholas D Wolfwood]

6. I don't think there's any way we find the real winner in this ugly race.

I certainly hope Franken takes the seat, but this thing is tainted beyond belief. It doesn't matter who wins - either Coleman or Franken is going to have a tough time moving forward from this.

[RiverStone]

8. Could the 6K ballot question eventually end up (again) in the SCOTUS?

Gawd, hope not! :wow:

[Ellipsis]

9. From what I've culled the senate may ultimately decide this race.

The the challenged votes have been divided into 5 piles and voter intent will be determined by the state of Minnesota.

[rvablue]

10. Didn't Nate Silver predict a Franken win by 5 votes....once again that

boy genius has hit it on the head again.

And no, I'm not being derisive by calling him that, just envious that I wasn't that smart at his age and I will never be if I live until I'm 100.

[rockymountaindem]

11. I think the number he predicted was 27.

But considering the number of votes cast, that's hardly a noticeable difference.

[Laura PourMeADrink]

12. what was the orginial result in that precinct?