AP: Minnesota Recount Will Drag Into Next Year

PATRICK CONDON | December 19, 2008 08:47 AM EST | AP


ST. PAUL, Minn. — With Republican incumbent Norm Coleman's lead shrinking to just two votes, the state board examining disputed ballots in Minnesota's U.S. Senate race is close to wrapping up its decisions on challenges.

However a key court ruling has practically guaranteed that the recount will drag into the new year.

The Canvassing Board hoped to finish ruling Friday on the remaining challenges to disputed ballots. On Thursday, Coleman saw his lead drop from 360 votes to just two as most challenges were rejected. He had a 215-vote lead over Democrat Al Franken after the initial count of the Nov. 4 election.

But the final outcome of the recount will also depend on some 5,000 withdrawn challenges that have not yet been allocated to the candidates. Secretary of State Mark Ritchie said those wouldn't be allocated until next week at the earliest.

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