It’s official—Al Franken got 225 more votes in the hotly contested Minnesota senatorial race than his incumbent opponent, Norm Coleman. In results released by the Minnesota State Canvassing Board on Jan. 5, Franken, a member of the Democratic Farmer Labor Party, narrowly bested Coleman, a Republican.
Lawyers for Coleman, whose term officially ended on Jan. 3, said that they will immediately file a lawsuit over the results, according to the Minneapolis Star Tribune.
Under Minnesota State law, neither candidate can assume the duties of the office while a lawsuit is in progress. That will leave the office vacant until the dispute is resolved. That will leave only one senator, Democrat Amy Klobuchar, to tend to the state’s business in Washington, D.C., when the 111th session of congress starts today.
In a statement, Franken acknowledged that the count was extremely close, but claimed victory nonetheless.
“There may still be additional legal proceedings related to our recount,” said Franken in a statement on his website yesterday. “But I’m now in the business of serving the people of Minnesota.”
Coleman refused to speak to the press, and made no official statement regarding the recount, speaking instead through lawyers.
"This process isn't at the end," said Coleman attorney Tony Trimble to the Star Tribune. "It is now just at the beginning."
Results issued by the state’s canvassing board, which is composed of the secretary of state, two supreme court judges, and two district court judges, certify the recount but do not declare a winner.
Under state law, the loser of the recount has seven days to challenge the results of the canvassing board. If a lawsuit is not filed, the winner of the recount automatically is declared winner by the secretary of state.