• Barack Obama won Minnesota's ten electoral votes in the 2008 Presidential election. CNN: Election Center: MN The race between incumbent Senator Norm Coleman and Democratic challenger Al Franken was too close to call, and the state conducted a mandatory recount.CNN: Senate GOP prepared to fight if Dems try to seat Franken (January 3, 2008) On January 4, 2009, Minnesota Secretary of State Mark Ritchie announced that the Minnesota state election board would pronounce Franken as the winner on the following day. Just two days later, Norm Coleman formally announced that he'd filed a lawsuit contesting the recount results. Coleman's campaign planned to challenge the recount decision based on over 600 absentee ballots they say were wrongly rejected.CNN: Panel to declare Franken winner... (January 4, 2009)

    1. Electoral Votes: 10
    2. Polls open: 7 am to 8 pm
    3. Pre-election polls: Obama led McCain 53% to 40%Pollster: 2008 Minnesota Presidential General Election
    4. Registered Voters: 3 million
    5. Democratic Primary Winner: Barack Obama
    6. Republican Primary Winner: Mitt Romney
    7. 2008 Senate results have been delayed by a contentious recountCNN: Senate GOP prepared to fight if Dems try to seat Franken (January 3, 2008)
    8. All election results must be certified by state canvassing board and signed off on by Republican Governor Tim PawlentyCNN: Senate GOP prepared to fight if Dems try to seat Franken (January 3, 2008)

  • Other Minnesota Races

    • Senate:
      • Incumbent: Norm Coleman (R)
      • Challenger: Al Franken (D)
      • Challenger: Dean Barkley (I)
    • Franken was ahead of Coleman by 48 votes on December 22, 2008, after a recount of challenged votes.West Central Tribune: Franken poised to keep slight vote edge (December 22, 2008)

  • Senate Recount

    As of December 22, 2008, Franken led over Coleman by 48 votes out of 2.9 million votes cast based on a draft report released by the Minnesota Secretary of State. The preliminary result was based on the final votes in a review of challenged votes to be formally awarded on December 23. A recount of about 1,600 rejected absentee ballots remains.West Central Tribune: Franken poised to keep slight vote edge (December 22, 2008) However, a disagreement on which ballots should be counted may delay the certification of the election results until after the new Congress gets sworn in on January 6, 2009, and may lead to legal challenges.CNN: Senate GOP prepared to fight if Dems try to seat Franken (January 3, 2008)

  • Past Minnesota Winners

  • Minnesota Government

    • Governor: Tim Pawlenty (R)
    • Lieutenant Governor: Carol Molnau
    • Attorney General: Lori Swanson
    • Senators: Norm Coleman (R), Amy Klobuchar (D)

Categories

Politics  |  Election 2008