Al Franken declared winner of Senate recount

[Yash]

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) - A Minnesota court confirmed Monday that Democrat Al Franken won the most votes in his 2008 Senate race against Republican Norm Coleman.

The ruling isn't expected to be the final word because Coleman immediately announced plans to appeal to the state Supreme Court. He has 10 days to do so. That appeal could mean weeks more delay in seating Minnesota's second senator.

"It's time that Minnesota like every other state have two" senators, a jovial Franken said outside his Minneapolis town home with his wife, Franni, at his side. "I would call on Senator Coleman to allow me to get to work for the people of Minnesota as soon as possible."

After a statewide recount and seven-week trial, Franken stands 312 votes ahead. Franken actually gained more votes from the election challenge than Coleman, the candidate who brought it.
More at: http://kstp.com/news/stories/S877958.shtml?cat=1

As a Minnesotan myself, this news makes me happy, as even though the Coleman camp is bound to drag this out even longer, we're one step closer to having our second senator.

(Sorry if this is considered too political, but I feel that it's significant. )

[Lightning Tiger]

Personally i don't see how this Coleman guy even has a leg to stand on, the other guy got more votes than he did, he clearly gets the job.

[Lord Dalek]

Personally i don't see how this Coleman guy even has a leg to stand onThat's the point, he doesn't. Norm Coleman has no case and is short on cash, the best he can do is waste everyone's time (which he seems to be succeeding at).

[mookie75]

Personally i don't see how this Coleman guy even has a leg to stand on, the other guy got more votes than he did, he clearly gets the job.

If we went by that logic, Norm Coleman would be a senator right now. He was the one who had to most votes on the original tally. After that, we got into the murky and dangerous territory of trying to decipher "voter intent" for all the idiots in this state who can't manage to fill out a ballot properly.

[Yash]

Personally i don't see how this Coleman guy even has a leg to stand on, the other guy got more votes than he did, he clearly gets the job.
There's a law in Minnesota that mandates a recount of any election where the margin of victory was less than 0.5%, as was the case in this election.

Coleman was the original winner, but rejected absentee ballots that were reviewed had Franken win.

If we went by that logic, Norm Coleman would be a senator right now. He was the one who had to most votes on the original tally. After that, we got into the murky and dangerous territory of trying to decipher "voter intent" for all the idiots in this state who can't manage to fill out a ballot properly.
The majority of the rejected ballots in question were rejected improperly. I saw the ballots myself. If, for use of a real example, someone originally filled in Franken, but crosses it out and puts next to Coleman "I VOTE FOR HIM" with an arrow pointing to his name (which is circled), anyone would have the ballot go to Coleman.

I mean, yeah, there were a couple oddballs, but for both candidates and certainly not enough to make a difference. Al Franken won.

[The Landstander]

It's worth noting this recount has been highly transparent and the people involved highly accountable; the debates over most of the challenged ballots (including the infamous "Lizard People") were viewable online, the events of the court proceedings have been kept in detail, etc. Kudos to Minnesota.

My personal feelings on him aside, it seems Coleman will keep trying appeals. IIRC he has an appeal to the state supreme court going, but if they turn him down (which they probably will) and he goes federal (which he'll probably try( the ball will be in Pawlenty's court for the certification and possibly in Harry Reid's court for the seating.