Statewide Canvass Concludes Early This Week

As we are all patient for the final numbers from the canvass to wrap up, as we posted before, Minnesotans should continue to expect, like with every election, for results to become more and more accurate until they are certified about a week from now. This weekend the Franken campaign compiled more data illustrating the difference between the initial reported vote totals on Minnesota elections compared to the final, certified totals.

From that document: In 2002, in Coleman v Mondale, between the days immediately after election day and the final certification, Coleman netted 8,920 less. In 1998, between Coleman, Humphrey and Ventura for governor, between November 4th, 1998 and the certification of the election, Ventura had a 2,022 vote difference. See more results here.

Team Coleman has been declaring themselves winners before the ballots are certified. Coleman has never won this election, nor has Franken. Nobody has claimed Coleman has won this election other than Team Coleman. Even after the election results are verified, neither he or Franken cannot claim to be the winner. To quote Bob Collins paraphrasing Mark Ritchie, “No one wins the first count. It’s an automatic recount.”

Meanwhile, Team Coleman and their allies are trying to block ballots from being counted, they’re trying to get Minnesotans to distrust the system when it is operating normally, they’re trying to get Minnesotans to distrust our election officials, our election clerks and all the people monitoring this election and they’re trying to set up the belief that “Coleman won” before the ballot count is even certified. They’re even trying to slam Democrats for wanting all legal ballots to be counted.

All of this is laying the groundwork for them to try claiming the election was “stolen” if it doesn’t go in their favor, even if the process proves the will of the voters. Just wait for it.

I’d also expect that Republican leaders nationally will start slamming our process and election officials. Watch the tactics: the Republicans won’t be fighting for a fair recount, they’ll be fighting to win that seat no matter what. Hold me to my word on that one.