Citizens for Election Integrity, Minnesota, released a report on the 2008 post-election audit and recounts: CEIMN Non-Partisan Observation Report <read>
The voting machines used in the audited precincts were shown to be accurate. All recount observers felt the counting procedures were accurate and none questioned the integrity of the count. No systematic concerns were raised by observers in the post-election audit or recount. Some procedures are in need of improvement, such as the absentee ballot process.
The Citizens for Election Integrity should be proud of their observation and every citizen of Minnesota proud of the quality of the audit, recounts, and the election itself.
We look forward to a day when the Connecticut audit results are equally reassuring. From the Connecticut Coaltion November report:
Among our greatest concerns are the discrepancies between machine counts and hand-counts reported to the Secretary of the State by several municipalities. In many cases, these discrepancies are not thoroughly and reasonably explained. We believe that the ad-hoc counting procedures used by many municipalities were not sufficient to count ballots accurately and efficiently.
Several audit supervisors attributed discrepancies between machine counts and hand counts to human limitations; other supervisors attributed these to inaccurate scanners. We find no reason to attribute all errors to either humans or machines.
Minnesota Raw Numbers Reported To State: Differences in initial reported totals by counties between hand counts and the optical scanners: About 1 difference in 4800 votes
Connecticut Raw Numbers Reported To State: Differences in initial reported totals by municipalities between hand counts and the optical scanners: About 1 difference in 133 votes(*).
(*) These figures do not include cross-endorsed candidates and only recognize differences beyond those which could be attributed to votes classifed as questionable by election officials.
Update: Minnesota has a new Senator. It is about time, slow but very very sure democracy flurishes in Minnesota. Politico coverage <read>
Republican Norm Coleman has conceded to Democrat Al Franken in the Minnesota Senate race, ending one of the longest Senate races in American history and clearing the way for Democrats to hold a 60-seat supermajority in the Senate…
“The Supreme Court of Minnesota has spoken and I respect its decision and will abide by the result,” Coleman said. “It’s time for Minnesota to come together under the leaders it has chosen and move forward. I join all Minnesotans in congratulating our newest United States Senator – Al Franken
