It’s almost impossible to analyze a recount, much less make predictions about its outcome, and the recount in the race between GOP Sen. Norm Coleman and Democratic satirist Al Franken is no exception.
The state-mandated recount is in its sixth day and not a whole lot has changed in the race. The state Canvassing Board declared that Coleman was ahead by 215 votes out of 2.9 million cast just before the recount began. According to an analysis by the Minneapolis Star Tribune, Coleman’s lead is now 210 votes with 78 percent of the ballots counted. Franken’s internal count is significantly different; they say Coleman’s lead has fallen to under 100 votes.
However, the campaigns have challenged more than 3,000 ballots, according to the Star-Tribune. Challenges to these ballots will be heard individually by the Canvassing Board beginning in mid-December.
For what it is worth, the conventional wisdom suggests that if the Star-Tribune analysis is correct, then Coleman has an advantage since the vote has already been recounted in many Democratic-leaning counties. This could explain the Franken campaign’s latest move. The
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