Challenging Times

I have not written much about the ongoing Senatorial recount in Minnesota for a couple of reasons. One is I am not quite as plugged in to the goings on now that I am several hundred miles away (even though my dear friend Gary Gross does his best to keep me up to speed) and two because I am very much content to be the spectator and wait to see what happens. However a couple of things have happened in the last couple of days that have changed my mind.

First (as my friend Gary points out) local Stearns County authorities have decided that the actions of certain Franken surrogates have gotten out of control.

Date: November 24, 2008
Contact: Randy Schreifels, County Auditor-Treasurer, 320-656-3901

U.S. Senate Race Recount Facing More Challenges

The process is slowing down in Stearns County’s hand recount of the U.S. Senate race.

Stearns County election officials are getting many more frivolous challenges, mainly starting with one challenger from the Al Franken campaign. When this happens, the Norm Coleman campaign will counter with another frivolous challenge.

By 10:00 this morning, there have already been seven ballots challenged, where voter intent is very clear. On Friday, there were 15 challenges, and most of them were frivolous as well. Compare that to just 8 challenges the entire first day and only 3 challenges the second day.

This morning, for example, a ballot was challenged because the oval wasn’t completely blackened, although the majority of it was filled in. Another ballot was challenged because there was a mark, or a small line, somewhere else on the ballot, not even near the U.S. Senate race.

Stearns County officials were hoping to wrap up the recount today, but that goal might now be in jeopardy. At the end of the day on Friday, Stearns County had approximately just 16,000 ballots left to recount, out of 79,000 total ballots, and officials were hoping to finish those today. But with the extra challenges, the process could extend into Tuesday.

Then my other dear friend Captain Ed pointed out a challenged ballot that must be seen to be believed.






A larger version of the ballot can be seen here.

Apparently, the Franken volunteer that challenged this particular ballot is unclear as to the intent of this particular voter! If they are that confused, then a lot of their challenged ballots may end up going back in the Coleman pile once the canvassing board rules on them.

One thing to keep in mind, as the counting marches toward it's conclusion. Hennepin County and Ramsey County are almost done with their counting. They are the two most populace DFL leaning counties in the state. Meanwhile, Scott County - the most populace REPUBLICAN county in the state has yet to count a single ballot. Their counting is scheduled to start on December 3!

The moral of this story is that you really should not count your chickens (or your votes) before they are all hatched - or recounted.