When Becker County started its recount Monday morning, it had 61 more ballots on hand than recorded by the end of Election Night, 53 of which came from mail-in precincts and eight of which were absentee ballots. While Sen. Norm Coleman led in Becker County by 2,400 votes in the original count, these 61 ballots could have a big impact on a race that now has Coleman leading Al Franken by just 185 votes (according to the Star Tribune). Election officials say the ballots “were overlooked and not transferred to the counting area on election night,” but “they did arrive at the county courthouse by 8 p.m.,” according to D-L Online. Recount officials have been instructed by the Becker County Attorney’s and the Minnesota Secretary of State’s offices to count the 61 ballots, although they’ve been segregated in case legal challenges should arise. Additionally, the Detroit Lakes paper reports that four other ballots have apparently gone missing from Holmesville Township. They were tallied after polls closed, but the ballots — three for Coleman and one for Franken — are nowhere to be found.

Update: Those four ballots later turned up, the Bemidji Pioneer reports.


Pictured: Al Franken (Photo: Aaron Landry) and Norm Coleman (Photo: WDCpix.com)