Franken declared winner in Minnesota Senate race

June 30, 4:00 PMLiberal ExaminerRaymond Gellner

Previous Next

3 comments Print Email RSS Subscribe

Subscribe

Get alerts when there is a new article from the Liberal Examiner. Read Examiner.com's terms of use.

Email Address   Include other special offers from Examiner.com Terms of Use

 Al Franken  (AP Photo/Craig Lassig)

Earlier this afternoon the Minnesota Supreme Court declared Al Franken the winner of the 2008 Senate race over opponent Norm Coleman. Coleman had filed a suit in an attempt to get some illegible absentee ballots counted. However, the Court decided that Franken was eligible "to receive the certificate of election as United States senator from the state of Minnesota," after having "received the highest number of votes legally cast." The ruling of the court was a unanimous 5-0.

Governor Tim Pawlenty of Minnesota had previously stated that he would validate Franken’s election certificate should he be declared the winner by the court. Legally, however, Coleman could take this battle to the United States Supreme Court.

One of Coleman’s key arguments was that all of the questionable absentee ballots should be counted. However, the Minnesota Supreme Court denied the request under the grounds, "because strict compliance with the statutory requirements for absentee voting is, and always has been required, there is no basis on which voters could have reasonably believed that anything less than strict compliance would suffice."

With this ruling the Democrats along with the two Senatorial Independents will have the sixty vote majority in the Senate needed to overcome Republican filibusters. The Senate is out of session this week for the Fourth of July holiday, so the earliest Franken would be seated is next week upon the Senate’s return.

Franken will hold a press conference later in the day to discuss these events;  Norm Coleman conceded earlier today.