Lost ballots force extension in Minnesota recount
[cnn-photo-caption image= http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2008/images/11/25/art.mnrecount1125.ap.jpg caption="It seems the end of the recount won't mean the end of the Senate contest."]MINNEAPOLIS, Minnesota (CNN) -It looks like it will take even longer than expected to declare a winner in Minnesota’s historically tight U.S. Senate race between incumbent Republican Sen. Norm Coleman and Democrat Al Franken.
As of Thursday night, it appears as if the state canvassing board’s unofficial deadline of this Friday will be postponed due to an envelope of about 130 lost ballots from the city of Minneapolis. Deputy Secretary of State Jim Gelbmann said Thursday that, due to the “extraordinary circumstances,” the city now has until December 16 to locate the votes. That’s day the board is set to meet and take further action in the recount process.
“We won't meet our goal to have all ballots hand counted by the end of the day [Friday] unless the envelope returns in the next 24 hours,” Gelbmann told CNN.
Minneapolis Elections Director Cindy Reichert said she’s “not sure where [the missing envelope] would have gone” but that they’re “in the process of looking under everything.”
With most of the ballots recounted at this point, Coleman maintains his slim lead at about 300 votes.
Spokesmen for both campaigns would not immediately return requests for comment.
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I doubt Franken will win, but in these cases the candidates have to do what they must to save face. This isn't Florida 2000 – Minnesotans tend to be more honest – it must be something to do with the cold.
And don't get me wrong – I'm a dyed-in-the-wool Democrat. It seems to be pretty clean.
Diana needs to take a chill pill. Is her happiness really dependent on seeing Bush "get what he deserves"? I'm sure Bush sleeps very well at night because the mistakes he has made (which admittedly are a LOT) are not crimes, they were mistakes, which had adverse consequences. The Bushies have done a lot of stupid things, but that does not mean it is criminal behavior. Just because we can't stand a politician's views or decisions doesn't mean we send him to jail. Good grief.
MN observer-Let's see, Jesse "The Body"Ventura as governor, RE-electing Michelle "McCarthy Was an Amature" Bachman, and now "finding" ballots, I'd say "inefficient and stupid" sums it up nicely.