From the DFL:
DFL Party Congratulates Al Franken on Victory in Senate Race
Party calls for full representation for Minnesota in Senate
St. Paul (January 5, 2009) — After the State Canvassing Board certified this afternoon that Al Franken received more votes in the November 4, 2008 general election than former Senator Norm Coleman, the Minnesota DFL Party released this statement from Chair Brian Melendez and Associate Chair Donna Cassutt:
“We heartily congratulate Senator-elect Franken on his election to the Senate, now that the final tally has been certified and shows that that he received the most votes. We are also happy for Minnesotans, who are gaining in Al Franken a senator who will fight day in and day out alongside President-elect Obama for real change in Washington and real relief for the middle class.
“The recount has been run with exemplary fairness, transparency and integrity — and now it has run its course. Minnesotans, who can be proud of the process that concluded today, are ready to put the hard-fought election behind them and put our elected officials, including Senator-elect Franken, to work in solving the many crises that face our new president and our nation.
“Now that Al Franken has been certified the winner of the Senate race, it would be unfair to Minnesotans for him not to be seated as soon as possible, especially at this critical time. Minnesotans have a right to full representation in the United States Senate and have a right to expect that Al Franken, the clear winner of the Senate race, will be seated as soon as possible. We deserve no less and can afford no less.”
Al Franken will be giving a statement today at 4 PM.
I have to agree. I think this was a really good process and it has produced a winner. Certainly a tough loss for Coleman and his team, but someone always has to lose. Franken should be seated.
It’s been a long road, Aaron. Thanks for all your hard work in covering this campaign.
“I think this was a really good process and it has produced a winner”
On paper, we have a winner. But I’d say that a victory margin of less than .00001 is well within the margin of human error on election night and during a recount. This race will forever be in doubt.
With that said, the time to make the rules is before an election, not during it. And the rules established before an election dictate that the leader after a recount wins. Congrats, Al Franken. I wish you luck.
DtM
Ignorant people may doubt the results. Nobody who paid attention will.
lojasmo -
Interesting statement. So I’m ignorant for wondering if somewhere in the universe of 3 million votes cast throughout all the precincts of 87 counties, there might be a fraction of a thousandth of a percent of errors that occured at a point where they wouldn’t hit a recount radar screen?
For being from the self-proclaimed party of intellectual curiosity, you sure are quick to declare ignorance on someone.
This race will forever be in doubt.
No it won’t. In six years Al will be reelected and this race will fade into the mists of history. This next 8 years is going to be very interesting. I’m actually very optimistic for the progressive movement and it’s promise to get an enormous amount of good done for the country and the world.
Dan
Please provide a quotation in which i called you ignorant. I’ll wait.
As a statistician, I hope some of the posters understand that errors occur randomly.
In a large enough population, the same outcome would likely result from another recount. Coleman is asking us to believe that a very high percentage of corrected errors will favor him. I just don’t buy it.
John
“In a large enough population, the same outcome would likely result from another recount.”
In the same state, with the same Canvassing Board, and the same Court, you’re right. Let us change the players in those areas, and it may not. That’s the point! Yes, any election or recount will have human error. If you can spend millions on a recount, why not change the law for future elections. If the margin is .00001 (if dtm’s number is correct), you spend that money on a run off. I guarantee (statistically) if you take out the 3rd Party candidate and have a run off, you will have a clear winner and the peoples voice would be clear.
As for Lojasmo’s comment, the way I read it, is if dtm doubts the outcome (I think he does) and he has paid attention to the recount (and he did judging from his many posts), Lojasmo is calling him ignorant.
I suppose i AM callin DtM ignorant OF THE DETAILS OF THE PROCEEDINGS. If he thinks this wasn’t an open and fair process, he wasn’t paying attention, in my opinion.