Mark Ritchie has been the Secretary of State in Minnesota since 2006. He will be overseeing the recounting of votes from the tight race between Norm Coleman and Al Franken for a U.S. Senate seat.Fox News: Questions Surround Role of Minnesota Secretary of State... (November 14, 2008)
Minnesota Senate Race
Incumbent Coleman was the Republican candidate in the race for Minnesota's U.S. Senate seat on November 4, 2008. Franken was the Democratic candidate. Coleman won the race with only a few hundred votes, and the votes will therefore be recounted. As Minnesota's Secretary of State, Ritchie will oversee the recounting. Republicans are questioning whether he can be objective, citing his previous support from ACORN, which has been accused of voter fraud, and earlier comments he has made of Coleman, as their concerns. Before the election, Ritchie once said that Coleman was "willing to win at any price".Fox News: Questions Surround Role of Minnesota Secretary of State... (November 14, 2008)
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Fast Facts
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Was elected as Minnesota's Secretary of state in 2006
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Previously worked for the Department of Agriculture in Minnesota
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Was the president of the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy (IATP) for 22 years
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Led the national coalition National Voice in 2003, which focused on increasing civic engagement and voter participation
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Married to Nancy Gaschott, live in Minneapolis
