Posted: February 11, 2009

Minnesota election contest - hearing Thursday on categories of absentee ballots

The 3-judge panel has ordered Coleman and Franken to file briefs on whether 19 different categories of absentee ballots were legally cast. A hearing will be held on these issues Thursday at 1 p.m. CT. See MinnPost.com’s coverage here, the Star Tribune’s coverage here, and the order here. The judges will also hear arguments on whether to admit the testimony of a Coleman witness about the variation in rejection rates of ballots among counties. The categories are:

1. Ballots from nonregistered voters with no box checked by the witness in the proof of residency section
2. Address different on ballot application and ballot return envelope
3. Witness is a notary but there is no notary seal
4. Nonregistered voter who did not submit registration form but was not provided with registration materials by officials
5. Ballot issued for wrong precinct due to official error
6. UOCAVA ballots where no evidence of any ballot application
7. No voter signature on certificate where a sticker covered instructions fully or partially.
8. Ballots submitted by voters whose ballot application contained no signature
9. Ballots where no evidence of any ballot application
10. Nonregistered voter who did not sign registration form
11. Absentee ballot application signed by another except where permitted by law (e.g. for persons with disabilities)
12. Ballots where no witness address on the return envelope
13. Late UOCAVA ballot
14. Ballot dropped off by voter in person on election day
15. Ballot dropped off by proper third party on Election Day but after deadline set by statute.
16. Nonregistered voters’ ballots with signature in wrong place
17. Ballots of voters not registered in precinct containing voters’ address on application and ballot.
18. Ballots of nonregistered voters who failed to register to vote
19. Ballots of voters not registered in the precinct where they live