Judge steps aside from legislative recount case, new hearing set
The judge appointed to hear a case involving a disputed legislative race in central Minnesota has recused herself. Judge Ann Carrott stepped aside, saying she's a voter in the district and her husband knows one of the candidates. A hearing before a new judge was immediately scheduled for Tuesday.
First-term Republican Rep. Mary Franson squeaked by Democratic challenger Bob Cunniff by just just one vote on Election night.
But there was a counting error, the Associated Press reports. Now Douglas County auditor treasurer Charlene Rosenow says some voters received the wrong ballots on Election Day so 35 ballots are likely to be pulled at random before a pre-recount tally is certified. A manual recount is scheduled to begin Nov. 28.
Here's Franson's petition, courtesy of Bluestream Prairie, which has more on the random ballot pull in Douglas County.