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The drip, drip, drip of election returns

Posted at 1:04 PM on November 6, 2008 by Bob Collins (11 Comments)

The recount of the U.S. Senate election in Minnesota may not start until later this month, but some rejiggering must already be underway. That much was made clear this afternoon when one vote was taken from Norm Coleman and given to DFLer Al Franken, on the Secretary of State's Web site. Early in the afternoon, Dean Barkley picked up 33 votes.

	Barkley	Franken	Coleman	Total	Diff
9:20 AM	437,345	1,211,083	1,211,520	2,859,948	437
12:41 PM	437,345	1,211,189	1,211,527	2,860,061	338
12:45 PM	437,378	1,211,189	1,211,527	2,860,094	338
1:03 PM	437,378	1,211,190	1,211,526	2,860,094	336
1:24 PM	437,378	1,211,190	1,211,527	2,860,095	337
1:48 PM	437,376	1,211,189	1,211,527	2,860,092	338
1:54 PM	437,376	1211,197	1,211,538	2,860,111	341
3:54 PM	437,377	1211,206	1,211,542	2,860,125	336
4:29 PM	437,187	1,210,487	1,211,077	2,858,751	590
Interesting here how 1,500 votes were removed.
4:54 PM	437,377	1211,206	1,211,542	2,860,125	336
And then put back. I think they're toying with us.
8:50 AM Fri	437,377	1211,306	1,211,542	2,860,225	236
10:20 AM	437,378	1211,305	1,211,543	2,860,226	238

I checked with a few auditors in small counties in Minnesota to see if they could haul the ballots out again and take another look. None seemed tempted to do so. "I believe that state law requires that we wait for the SOS to give direction. If it doesn't, I would wait for the SOS direction anyway," Wayne Bezenek of Wilkin County told me this afternoon. .

~~Since 9:30 this morning, Franken has shaved 100 votes off Coleman's lead.~~ This process is obviously going to be like watching your retirement fund during a bad market. It's better to just forget about it and come back later. But if you insist, here's my little rinky-dink spreadsheet if you'd like to divide the labor.
If you want to make some popcorn and spend the evening sitting in front of your computer for hours of vote-counting fun, you can follow the conversation via Twitter.

(h/t: Braublog)

Comments (11)

What's going on now is the General Canvass, which is to say the real count of votes. Election night was only a first pass. They are counting challenge ballots that are deemed valid, ballots that had mechanical problems, and the like. There may be a few absentee ballots that arrived in time but weren't counted.

They have 2 weeks to finish the General Canvass. Then, the recount begins. What we saw on election night was ONLY the first estimate, nothing more.

Posted by Erik Hare | November 6, 2008 1:30 PM

At this rate, by tomorrow morning Al Franken will be the winner. I wonder if Coleman will want a recount then?

Posted by Aaron | November 6, 2008 1:35 PM

I know no amount of cheering is going to change the ink on those ballots, but I'm willing to give it a try.

FRANKEN! FRANKEN! FRANKEN!

Posted by Jim!!! | November 6, 2008 2:30 PM

At this rate, by tomorrow morning Al Franken will be the winner. I wonder if Coleman will want a recount then?

Franken: "Well, if Norm wants to waste the taxpayer's money for a recount, fine."

THAT would be epic.

Posted by D B | November 6, 2008 2:36 PM

Argh! Now it's 590.

Posted by Jim!!! | November 6, 2008 4:33 PM

Back down to 410.

Posted by sam | November 6, 2008 4:38 PM

I heard that the constitutional amendment had problems in 2 counties, any followup on that?
If they, I mean when they recount since it is state wide will they double check the amendment also?

I can't believe it passed.

Posted by brian hanf | November 6, 2008 4:53 PM

Back down to 410.

Down to 236.

w00t.

Posted by D B | November 6, 2008 10:49 PM

Just keep countin'...

Posted by Auntie | November 7, 2008 12:08 AM

just keep countin'...

Right up until you get the answer you want, then stop! Nothing will restore faith in the system like dropping the whole recount like a hot potato as soon as you get your favored result.

Posted by Chris Gregoire | November 7, 2008 9:38 AM

Well that would be so easy Chris, just start counting in Hennepin or Ramsey County. Duh?

Posted by Jim!!! | November 7, 2008 1:21 PM

November 2008
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