Franken claims Coleman’s lead is shrinking

Al Franken’s campaign claimed Friday that Sen. Norm Coleman’s (R-Minn.) lead has fallen into the double digits as the state continues its recount of the hotly contested Senate race.

The Franken camp is using a tally from their election observers, which they claim is more accurate than that of Minnesota’s secretary of state.

{mosads}The Franken team has volunteers stationed at every recount location throughout the state. And they claim those observers have reported the Democratic candidate has made up enough votes to cut Coleman’s lead to fewer than 100 votes.

But Franken’s tally included challenged ballots where neutral, local officials ruled on voter intent. The officials’ determination can be overturned by the state’s Board of Canvassers, but Franken’s campaign said the official determinations are a reliable baseline.

The secretary of state’s office is awaiting confirmation from the Board of Canvassers on the disputed ballots before adding them to the official tally.
 
“The ballots that have been counted are slightly redder than what has been counted. There is a slightly bluer hue to what is left to be counted,” said Franken campaign attorney Marc Elias. “We believe that Al Franken has gained enough votes to say that Norm Coleman’s lead is in the double digits.”
 
Elias also accused Coleman’s campaign of inappropriately challenging the ballots of voters who split parties in their votes.
 
“In at least some instances, there are challenges that are being lodged that are clearly frivolous,” Elias said.
 
The campaign said that 51.1 percent of the vote had been recounted through last night, a number Franken claimed included more Republican counties than Democratic counties. Franken communications director Andy Barr claimed 40,000 more Coleman ballots have been counted than Franken ballots, and that more Franken ballots are left to be recounted than Coleman ballots.

The recount is expected to go into December.