County Begins Process Of Sorting, Counting Ballots Today Despite Coleman Efforts To Shut Down Recount

SAINT PAUL [12/15/08] – The Al Franken for Senate campaign today commended Hennepin County for its decision to correct errors related to the improper rejection of absentee ballots. The county today instructed localities within its jurisdiction to immediately sort rejected absentee ballots and report the results to the county canvassing board so that so-called “fifth pile” ballots may be included in a revised count. Hennepin County set a deadline of tomorrow for the sorting to be completed.

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ASSOCIATED PRESS ANALYSIS: FRANKEN LIKELY TO WIN RECOUNT
An Associated Press examination of ballot challenges in the U.S. Senate race reveals that “in ballots that could easily be assigned, Franken netted 200 more votes than Coleman.” In addition, over a hundred more Franken ballots are being “held up” because of questions about distinguishing marks than Coleman ballots, and the class of ballots challenged because of unclear voter intent includes “slightly more potential Franken ballots” as well.
http://blogs.tnr.com/tnr/blogs/the_plank/archive/2008/12/15/minnesota-senate-recount-update.aspx
http://washingtonindependent.com/22188/ap-predicts-gains-for-franken

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Despite Coleman’s False Characterization Of Lawsuit, Campaign Is In Fact Attempting To Overturn Decision Of State Canvassing Board

SAINT PAUL [12/15/08] – On Friday, the Coleman campaign told reporters that it was going to the state Supreme Court to ask the Court to clarify the process for counting so-called “fifth pile” absentee ballots. However, it refused to release those documents until late Friday night. A review of their lawsuit reveals that, in fact, Coleman has gone to the state Supreme Court to attempt to stop the counting of lawful ballots.

Communications Director Andy Barr:

“This is shameless. Norm Coleman didn’t get his way on Friday, so he’s suing to stop the counting of lawful ballots and disenfranchise voters who did nothing wrong. The fact is that those ballots were legally cast, and the state canvassing board – which includes two Supreme Court Justices, and in fact the Chief Justice – has said that they should be counted. And now Coleman is going to court to try to overrule the board and throw those lawful votes out. That may be characteristic of his approach to this entire process, but it’s entirely un-Minnesotan.”

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TODAY: STATE CANVASSING BOARD UNANIMOUSLY SUPPORTS FRANKEN POSITIONS ON UNCOUNTED ABSENTEES, MISSING MINNEAPOLIS BALLOTS
In a devastating rejection of the Coleman campaign’s attempts to stop lawful votes from being counted, the state canvassing board today voted unanimously to accept Election Night returns from Minneapolis Ward 3, Precinct 1 – thus protecting the franchise for the 133 voters whose ballots were lost by city elections officials. In addition, the board unanimously recommended that counties open and count so-called “fifth pile” absentee ballots deemed to have been improperly rejected, and indicated that it planned to accept amended returns from counties after they have revised their vote totals to include these uncounted ballots.
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5gMpTmr96V5hKIfyHT4Av4jsVQgrQD951ASC00

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In Unanimous Decision, Board Denies Coleman Effort To Disenfranchise 133 Voters In Minneapolis

Board Recommends That Counties Correct Improper Absentee Rejections, Include Uncounted Ballots – Will Accept Amended Returns From Counties

Attorney General: “There Is No Doubt That Voters Who Have Complied With All Legal Requirements, But Whose Ballots Were Improperly Rejected, Should Have Their Votes Counted.”

Secretary Of State’s Office: More Than 1500 “Fifth Pile” Absentee Ballots Wrongly Rejected

SAINT PAUL [12/12/08] ” In a devastating rejection of the Coleman campaign’s attempts to stop lawful votes from being counted, the state canvassing board today voted unanimously to accept Election Night returns from Minneapolis Ward 3, Precinct 1–thus protecting the franchise for the 133 voters whose ballots were lost by city elections officials.

In addition, the board unanimously recommended that counties open and count so-called “fifth pile” absentee ballots deemed to have been improperly rejected, and indicated that it planned to accept amended returns from counties after they have revised their vote totals to include these uncounted ballots.

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ONLINE SENSATION: WEB VIDEO FEATURING DISENFRANCHISED MINNESOTANS GENERATES 15,000 VIEWS IN FIRST 24 HOURS
Yesterday, the Franken campaign released a new web video telling the story of seven Minnesotans who lost their right to vote because their absentee ballots were improperly rejected. It has already viraled into an online sensation – in its first 24 hours, 15,147 people viewed it on YouTube.
View video here: http://www.alfranken.com/content/video_detail/?id=88

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NEW VIDEO: MEET MINNESOTANS DISENFRANCHISED BECAUSE THEIR ABSENTEE BALLOTS WERE IMPROPERLY REJECTED
A new web video released today by the Franken campaign tells the story of seven Minnesotans who lost their right to vote because their absentee ballots were improperly rejected. The campaign has set up a website for Minnesotans to share their own stories: http://www.alfranken.com/countmyvote/
You can watch the video here: http://www.alfranken.com/video/

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“My Vote” Features Voters Who Did Everything Right, But Whose Ballots Remain Uncounted

Franken Campaign Continues To Fight For Minnesotans’ Right To Vote

SAINT PAUL [12/10/08] “A new web video released today by the Franken campaign tells the story of seven Minnesotans who lost their right to vote because their absentee ballots were improperly rejected.

Communications Director Andy Barr:

It’s important that every vote be counted. But it’s also important to remember that, behind every ballot, there’s a real live Minnesotan who wanted to exercise their right to choose their leaders on Election Day. The improper rejection of absentee ballots not only threatens the integrity of this election, it undermines the fundamental principle of our democracy and breaks the promise made to Minnesotans that their voices will be heard. These are people who did everything right. These are people whose votes should be counted. These are the people we continue to fight for.”

You can watch the web video here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YBOad11LueE

The Franken campaign invited viewers to share their stories at a new website, www.alfranken.com/countmyvote .

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SECRETARY OF STATE: PRECINCT WITH 133 MISSING BALLOTS TO REVERT TO ELECTION NIGHT COUNT
The Secretary of State website now records results for every precinct except Minneapolis Ward 3, Precinct 1, where 133 ballots are missing. Although Minneapolis officials cannot find the ballots, the Secretary of State has described a solution. In the past, the machine count tabulated on Election Day has been used. In other words, because local elections officials still have the canvassed and audited machine tape from that polling place, the count for this precinct would revert back to the canvassed and audited total. Minneapolis Ward 3, Precinct 1 covers the Dinkytown neighborhood and includes a large population of students at the University of Minnesota.
http://www.reuters.com/article/wtMostRead/idUSN0547993120081205
http://www.startribune.com/politics/national/senate/35607614.html
http://www.mndaily.com/2008/12/03/city-acknowledges-missing-ballots

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SECRETARY OF STATE: IF MISSING 133 BALLOTS CANNOT BE FOUND, PRECINCT MAY REVERT TO ELECTION NIGHT COUNT
The Secretary of State website now records results for every precinct except Minneapolis Ward 3, Precinct 1, where 133 ballots are missing. Therefore, the current count does not include the results for the entirety of the precinct (2,029 total votes). According to Secretary of State Ritchie, if these ballots cannot be found and recounted, the state canvassing board will decide what to do. In the past, according to Ritchie, the machine count tabulated on Election Day would be used. In other words, because local elections officials still have the canvassed and audited machine tape from that polling place, the count for this precinct would revert back to the canvassed and audited total. Minneapolis Ward 3, Precinct 1 covers the Dinkytown neighborhood and includes a large population of students at the University of Minnesota.
http://www.reuters.com/article/wtMostRead/idUSN0547993120081205
http://www.startribune.com/politics/national/senate/35607614.html
http://www.mndaily.com/2008/12/03/city-acknowledges-missing-ballots

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