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Thursday, November 06, 2008

Franken - Coleman -- first there is final tally assurances, then the recount starts.

From Polinault, Monday Nov. 10 is the deadline for the canvassing boards to certify their election results with the Secretary of State. Then the recount will start. Numbers are shifting, one comment to the post by "Aaron" timestamped 1:16 pm, today, Nov. 6, says, "It's been fun watching the number fluctuate. The difference is 337 right now!"

And all the while things wait, national attention may be drawn to the situation, with spillover attention at the national level expected for the Texas lawsuit allegations, and whatever resolution efforts our Commerce Department may be taking to get us information. It is their job, and we can hope they move expeditiously.

Also from Polinault, here, yesterday, this information, with links from the original:

After a long night, (most of) the results are in:

President

Sen. Barack Obama has been elected in an electoral landslide, 349-147. Here's AP's story.

Minnesota goes for Obama.

And this margin could still grow; we're still waiting for results from North Carolina and Missouri.

McCain concedes gracefully in Arizona. And Obama gives his victory speech to a crowd of 65,000 in Chicago's Grant Park.

U.S. Senate

The Democrats have gained at least five seats in the Senate, with the results from four more races uncertain.

One of these races is right here in Minnesota. Incumbent Republican Sen. Norm Coleman has won, but by less than 1,000 votes. But a mandatory recount will occur since the margin is less than one half of one percent.

Sen. Coleman and DFL challenger Al Franken each won 42 percent of the vote, with Independence Party candidate Dean Barkley winning 15 percent.

U.S. House

Democrats have gained about 20 seats in the U.S. House.

But none of those seats are in Minnesota. All of our incumbents are re-elected, including Republican Rep. Michele Bachmann in the 6th Congressional District.

Retiring Republican Rep. Jim Ramstad's seat will stay within in the party. Erik Paulsen defeats DFL challenger Ashwin Madia, 48 to 41 percent. IP candidate David Dillon won 10 percent of the vote.

Constitutional Amendement

Voters pass the proposed constitutional amendment, which will provide funding for outdoors and the arts and the raise the sales tax by three-eights of a percent beginning next July. It passed 56 to 39 percent.

MN Legislature

The DFL appears to have gained two seats in the MN House, but failed to gain the five needed for a veto-proof supermajority.


That's yesterday's news, I don't know what of the uncertainty has been resolved. Certainly not who our Senate contest victor is, that's awaiting further developments.

But the big news is an expanded Democratic Party majority in both houses of Congress. And gaining in the State House, but not a Pawlenty-proof majority.

The US Senate numbers mean that the one guy in the Dakotas, Ted Kennedy's brain cancer, and Joe Lieberman's gadfly nature no longer have to be points of key attention. Lieberman can get the recognition his campaigning with McCain merits among Senate Dems.

Polinault's daily digest for today is up now, here.

_______UPDATE________
Strib online, here, says the Franken-Coleman gap stands at 342 votes.