Secretary of State to send staff to some counties to help with recount
The Minnesota Secretary of State Office plans to send staff members to Morrison, Wright, Scott and several other counties to assist in the U.S. Senate election recount expected to begin next week.
Although details with some counties are still being worked out, a Secretary of State official indicated the counties have fallen into line in working with state officials on the recount.
Theoretically, as it is the state’s recount, counties could wash their hands of it.
Counties are being paid 3 cents a ballot for the recount.
Secretary of State Mark Ritchie today (Nov. 14) indicated that the number of recount sites across the state could be fewer than 120, though probably more than 100.
Ritchie also opined that recount watchdog groups — Citizens for Election Integrity Minnesota, League of Women Voters Minnesota, and Common Cause Minnesota are working in coalition as observers — will be treated as members of the public and given no greater access to recount sites than the general public.
In another matter, Gary Poser, Director of Elections, has opined that lists of absentee ballots rejected by election judges is public information.
Poser expressed his opinion in emails with county election officials who contacted the Secretary of State Office for guidance.
The Franken, Coleman campaigns and others are intensely scrutinizing ballots across the state.
The State Canvassing Board meets on Tuesday, Nov. 18, and its action will begin the recount process.
All the details of the recount must be finalized before the board meets, according to the Secretary of State.