Court order to count 24 votes likely raises Franken’s lead to 249

Al Franken likely increased his lead over former U.S. Sen. Norm Coleman to 249 votes after the three-judge panel presiding over the Minnesota Senate election contest ordered that 24 absentee ballots be counted. The court order requires local officials to send 24 ballots (13 from two metro counties, 10 from around the state) to Secretary of State Mark Ritchie, as well as a 24th as-yet-unopened ballot from Dakota County that’s believed to contain a voter registration application within the ballot’s secrecy envelope.

At least some of the ballots belong to voters who filed court affidavits suggesting they support Franken. The ruling may usher in more such additions to the recount tally that could eventually add votes to the tallies of both Franken, a Democrat, and Coleman, a Republican.

UPDATE: This post has been corrected. Originally the order appeared to list 25 ballots, but the voter whose application may be inside her ballot envelope was listed twice.