These blog reports are from the non-partisan observers who are part of a joint effort sponsored by Citizens for Election Integrity Minnesota, League of Women Voters Minnesota and Common Cause Minnesota (Learn more about this effort »)
This effort is the only statewide, trained, non-partisan presence at the recounts.
The observer reports that the ballots have been located. The observer reports that the ballots were in a secure location in the building, in a box mark 'unvoted ballots'; the missing ballots are reported to have been on top of a pile of unvoted ballots.
The observer reports that Ward 1 in Robbinsdale is a couple hundred ballots short. It appears Franken is missing about 143 votes and Coleman is missing about 100 votes. Officials are not sure of the reason. Possible theories include that a box was mislabeled or that there are missing absentee ballots. Officials are working to solve the issue.
They're underway again here in Milaca. Today is the Minnesota State Senate District 16 race recount - Alison Krueger (R) vs. Lisa Fobbe (DFL). There is no incumbent, as Sen. Betsy Wergin (R) is retiring. Candidate Lisa Fobbe (DFL) is here in person at the recount.
Observer estimated that yesterday in Ramsey County there were between 75 – 100 people in the room (55 of which were at the tables participating in the recount). Each table received a box of ballots from a different precinct, which varied in size from around 1,000 to a couple thousand ballots. Each precinct box was sealed when it arrived and was unsealed on the table by the workers.
Steele County recount has started. Five counting tables, one observer of each party allowed at each table. Extremely well organized by county auditor. Officials have finished counting five precincts. Berlin Township came up one vote short - ballots are being recounted and checked.
Hopkins completed 2 or 6 precincts yesterday and plan to do the other 4 today. There were 12 challenged ballots—mostly voter intent issues and a couple stray marks on the ballot. There was a dispute about what to do about 3 duplicate ballots that could not be found in Precinct 1—the election official speculated that it was because the election official forgot to mark the ballot as "duplicate." The election official is going to send the 3 ballots to the Canvassing Board with a note of explanation.
Excelsior's count remained the same, both Tonka Bay's and Shorewood's counts changed. Observer did not know the reasons for the discrepancies. Total Ballots 6289; Total Challenges 3; Coleman -7; Franken +1.
Over 120 people have signed in and attended the recount. This includes partisan and non-partisan observers, media, and the public.
Washington County will not finish its recount today. Recounting will resume tomorrow and officials hope to end Friday. Observer reports that the counting system seems very good. To date, seven challenges were made. They all concerned voter intent.
Officials breaking for lunch. All ballots being locked up. Two precincts had to be recounted so far. One precinct has 3 ballots missing. The observer reports that the precinct is 2 votes down for Franken and 1 vote down for Coleman. After recounting everything, the 3 ballots were not found. Officials believe the missing ballots are in another precinct that is stored in the same ballot box.
