Before any ballots were counted in Minneapolis, questions -- and voices -- were raised.
In a northeast Minneapolis warehouse, the ballots were just being sorted, a first step in what would turn out to be a laborious process in the state's largest city. Bill Starr, an attorney for Democratic Senate candidate Al Franken, demanded to know when ballots could begin to be challenged. Starr's challenge brought a countering challenge from Republican Norm Coleman representative Pat Shortridge, who questioned whether Starr should be speaking to election officials at the table at all, pointing out that Starr was behind a taped line designating only a non-official viewing area.
"You are in the peanut gallery, sir, you cannot challenge," Shortridge pointed out.
The issue forced a quick scrum with Minneapolis elections director Cindy Reichert and attorneys from both sides. Afterward, the sorting was begun anew.
The recount in Minneapolis began with precise instructions by Reichert.
"It takes a lot longer to go back and recount a stack than if you do it right the first time," Reichert told the group.
Nearby stood one lawyer and 17 volunteers for Coleman, and 17 volunteers and four attorneys for Franken.
The first-day setup at a Minneapolis warehouse was six tables with two election officials at each table and at least one (and usually two) from each campaign looking on. The counters will review all votes in Minneapolis' 131 precincts, plus Fort Snelling.
