Senate Race Delayed

The AP has called it for Coleman, probably accurate but a bit premature. Latest numbers have the race within about 700 votes with a large portion of the remaining outstanding votes in St. Louis County, where Franken leads 55% - 33

It looks like there is over 1000 votes left to report, and at the same percentage as has been reported, that could chop 300 - 500 off Coleman's lead making it even tighter.

St. Louis

99% of precincts reporting
63,976 55% Al Franken (Dem)
38,115 33% Norm Coleman (Rep)*
14,234 12% Dean Barkley (Inp)

No matter who the party, elected on 42% is a travesty and we need IRV or 30 day runoff or something. 58% of the voters rejected whomever the eventual victor is. That doesn't seem like an election to me. If we are going to cloud the constitution with Tax Policy, why not amend the constitution for electoral policy.

More later.

Flash

UPDATE: AP UNCALLS the Race:

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Associated Press is uncalling the Minnesota Senate race.

Republican Sen. Norm Coleman finished ahead of Democrat Al Franken early Wednesday in the final vote count, but his 571-vote margin falls within the state's mandatory recount law. That law requires a recount any time the margin between the top two candidates is less than one-half of one percent.

The AP called the race prematurely.

Minnesota Secretary of State Mark Ritchie said the recount won't begin until mid-November at the earliest and will probably stretch into December. It will involve local election officials from around the state.