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  Franken: 30–40% 40–50% 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% 80–90% >90% Coleman: 30–40% 40–50% 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% 80–90% >90% Barkley: 30–40% 40–50% 50–60% 60–70% Tie: 30–40% 40–50% 50% No votes | |||||||||||||||||||||
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| Elections in Minnesota |
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The 2008 United States Senate election in Minnesota took place on November 4, 2008. After a legal battle lasting over eight months, the Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party (DFL) candidate, Al Franken, defeated Republican incumbent Norm Coleman in one of the closest elections in the history of the Senate, with Coleman's Senate predecessor Dean Barkley taking third place. Franken took his oath of office on July 7, 2009, more than half a year after the end of Coleman's term on January 3, 2009.[1] This election, alongside the concurrent Senate election in New Jersey, was the last U.S. Senate election in which both major party candidates were Jewish. [2]
When the initial count was completed on November 18, Franken was trailing Coleman by 215 votes.[3][4] The close margin triggered a mandatory recount.[5][6] After reviewing ballots that had been challenged during the recount and counting 953 wrongly rejected absentee ballots, the State Canvassing Board officially certified the recount results with Franken holding a 225-vote lead.[7][8][9]
On January 6, 2009, Coleman's campaign filed an election contest and on April 13, a three-judge panel dismissed Coleman's Notice of Contest and ruled that Franken had won the election by 312 votes.[10][11] Coleman's appeal of the panel's decision to the Minnesota Supreme Court was unanimously rejected on June 30,[12] and he subsequently conceded the election.[13] Franken was sworn in as the junior senator from Minnesota on July 7.[14] With a margin of just 0.01%, this election was the closest race of the 2008 Senate election cycle.
- ^ "FRANKEN, Al – Biographical Information". US Congress. July 7, 2009. Retrieved July 7, 2009.
- ^ Rudin, Ken (July 23, 2008). "Who Will Succeed Obama Or McCain In The Senate?". NPR. Retrieved September 10, 2024.
- ^ "State of Minnesota Canvassing Report" (PDF). Minnesota Secretary of State. November 18, 2008. Archived from the original (PDF) on November 19, 2008. Retrieved January 7, 2009.
- ^ "Recount begins in U.S. Senate race; Ritchie hit with 'blizzard' of filings". TwinCities.com. November 19, 2008.
- ^ Senate race 100% counted: Coleman up; recount coming, Star Tribune, November 5, 2008.
- ^ Patricia Lopez and Bob von Sternberg. Day 4: Ballot-counters press on, find glitches. Star Tribune. November 23, 2008. Retrieved November 23, 2008.
- ^ "Election Reporting". Minnesota Secretary of State. Archived from the original on November 20, 2008. Retrieved January 7, 2009.
- ^ "Minnesota canvassing board certifies Franken win". CNN Political Ticker. January 5, 2009. Archived from the original on March 6, 2009. Retrieved January 7, 2009.
- ^ Stern, Christopher (January 5, 2009). "Democrat Franken Wins Minnesota Recount, Coleman Vows Challenge". Bloomberg. Retrieved January 5, 2009.
- ^ Judges Elizabeth Hayden; Kurt Marben & Denise Reilley. "Finding of Facts, Conclusion of Law, and Order for Judgment" (PDF). Minnesota Judicial Branch.
- ^ Pat Doyle (April 14, 2009). "Judges rule Franken winner; Coleman to appeal". Star Tribune. Archived from the original on April 18, 2009. Retrieved April 14, 2009.
- ^ "Minn. Court Rules for Franken in Senate Fight". The New York Times. Retrieved June 30, 2009.[dead link]
- ^ "Norm Coleman concedes Minnesota Senate race to Al Franken – Manu Raju and Josh Kraushaar". Politico.Com. June 30, 2009. Retrieved June 13, 2010.
- ^ Fiore, Faye (July 8, 2009). "Al Franken sworn in, with a straight face". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved July 7, 2009.