Disputed ballots: Judge for yourself You can join in the puzzling over scribbles and ovals and arrows.

By BOB VON STERNBERG and GLENN HOWATT, Star Tribune staff writers

There are scribbles. There are check-offs and cross-outs. There are self-drawn ovals. There are ballots left completely blank. There are arrows sketched in by voters who apparently miss an older form of ballot. And, occasionally, there is commentary, like the voter who scrawled "GOD!!!" above the names of Republican Sen. Norm Coleman and his Democratic challenger, Al Franken.

Such artistic and literary voting quirks are all part of the universe of challenged ballots in the U.S. Senate recount -- a number that is closing in on 6,000.

The disputed ballots will end up in the laps of members of the state Canvassing Board next month, and it will be up to them to rule on whether each ballot should be counted for Franken, for Coleman -- or neither.

A sneak preview of sorts is available, now that the secretary of state's office has begun releasing copies of the ballots. And using state election law as a guide, it's possible to sort through the actual ballots yourself and get a general idea of the job facing the board members.

The Star Tribune has created a website where readers can study hundreds of the ballots and make their own decisions on them at www.startribune.com/senaterecount. More will be added as the secretary of state releases them.

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http://www.startribune.com/politics/state/35240724.html?elr=KArks7PYDiaK...