Kathleen Gearin

The final step in the statewide manual recount of the U.S. Senate race is underway. Shortly after noon, the five-member canvassing board began examining the roughly 1,500 ballots that have been challenged by the campaigns of Sen. Norm Coleman and Al Franken.

The statewide canvassing board unanimously voted down a request from Al Franken’s campaign to examine rejected absentee ballots at a meeting this morning. The five-member panel, charged with overseeing the U.S. Senate recount, did not rule on the merits of the Democrat’s case, but rather determined that it did not have the jurisdiction to consider the matter.

The Minnesota Independent liveblogged and tweeted (at MnIndyLIVE) the Nov. 26 State Canvassing Board meeting, at which Minnesota Secretary of State Mark Ritchie led the five-person board in considering the Al Franken for Senate campaign’s request that they find a way to count votes from all improperly rejected absentee ballots.

Six of the eight defendants charged with plotting to disrupt the Republican National Convention with criminal acts were in court today. But hearings to determine whether there is sufficient evidence to justify the charges they face were postponed.