With 220-Vote Lead, Norm Coleman Trying to Keep Ballots from Being Counted

From the Pioneer-Press ...

"Republican Sen. Norm Coleman sought an injunction to stop the opening and counting of 32 absentee ballots in Minneapolis, according to a copy of the court documents filed today provided to the Pioneer Press by Democrat Al Franken's campaign.

"The race between Coleman and Franken, fierce rivals for months for the right to represent Minnesota in the U.S. Senate, is headed for an automatic recount because Coleman's lead is less than one half of one percent over Franken. Currently, Coleman has just a 221-vote advantage.

"That slim advantage, which has been slipping as counties have verified the vote totals, has put increased scrutiny on every ballot.

"According to the injunction filed by the Coleman campaign, 32 of those ballots cast by absentee voters shouldn't be tallied because they were not opened on Election Day.

"Minnesota voting rules dictate that all absentee ballots must arrive by Election Day in order to be counted — any ballots received after Nov. 4 of their year do not count.

"According to the Franken campaign, Ramsey County held a hearing on the Coleman campaign's request to toss those ballots this morning and a judge rejected the request.

"On Friday night the director of elections for the city of Minneapolis, Cynthia Reichhert, told the attorney for the Coleman campaign, Tony Trimble, that she was in possession of 32 absentee ballots that she intended to 'open and count' today, according to the request filed by the Coleman campaign."