Minn. Senate race margin now 2 votes
ST. PAUL, MINN. — Sen. Norm Coleman saw his lead over Al Franken in Minnesota’s U.S. Senate race dwindle to two votes Thursday. Meanwhile, a court ruling put hundreds of rejected ballots in play and promised the recount would drag into the new year.
The Minnesota Supreme Court ruled that improperly rejected absentee ballots must be included in the recount.
The ruling came as the state Canvassing Board erased what was once a 360-vote lead for Coleman. The Republican incumbent held a 215-vote lead over Democrat Franken after the initial count of the Nov. 4 election.
The improperly rejected ballots are estimated at 1,600. In addition, hundreds of challenges are yet to be decided.
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