Minneapolis Elections Director Cindy Reichert is expected to testify at the Senate recount trial on Wednesday or Thursday. During the official recount in December, 133 ballots under ReichertâÄôs watch went missing from Ward 3, Precinct 1 âÄî an area that covers most of Dinkytown and has a large student population.
The state canvassing board âÄî a panel that oversaw the recount âÄî decided to go with the election night totals and counted the 133 ballots, even though they had gone missing. Norm ColemanâÄôs legal team will try to overturn that decision in court and have the 133 ballots discounted. âÄúItâÄôs a re-guess instead of a recount,âÄù Coleman attorney Ben Ginsberg said of the boardâÄôs decision to count the missing ballots. About 55 percent of the ballots cast in the Dinkytown precinct were for Al Franken, while only about 33 percent were for Coleman. FrankenâÄôs legal team tried to block ColmanâÄôs attempt at reversing the canvassing boardâÄôs decision, but that attempt was denied Monday. Ginsberg said his legal teamâÄôs goal for ReichertâÄôs examination is to find out what really happened with the 133 missing ballots. âÄúWe wonâÄôt be aggressive,âÄù Ginsberg said. âÄúWeâÄôll just try to get to the truth.âÄù ColemanâÄôs team is expected to close its arguments sometime this week, giving FrankenâÄôs legal team their turn on the floor.
