Recount inches closer to court challenge

November 26, 2008

by Tom Scheck, Minnesota Public Radio

The state Canvassing Board dealt Democrat Al Franken's campaign a serious blow today when it rejected the campaign's call to review rejected absentee ballots. Franken's attorneys have argued that many absentee ballots were inappropriately set aside and should be included in the recount.

St. Paul, Minn. (AP) — The Canvassing Board hearing lasted only an hour, but the action taken could mean that Minnesota's already long U.S. Senate race could be headed to the courts for an extended overtime.

The five-member Canvassing Board, which consists of Secretary of State Mark Ritchie, two Minnesota Supreme Court justices and two Ramsey County judges, said it wasn't its role to determine whether any absentee ballots were wrongly rejected.

For the complete report:
http://minnesota.publicradio.org/display/web/2008/11/26/board_keeps_faul...