DFLer Al Franken has a 49-vote lead over Republican Sen. Norm Coleman, out of about 2.9 million ballots cast. When the recount began on Nov. 19, Coleman led by 215 votes.
DEVELOPMENTS
• The state Canvassing Board, which is overseeing the recount, finished allocating votes from ballot challenges that the two campaigns had withdrawn. In Tuesday's action, Franken made a net increase of three votes to an unofficial 46-vote lead he held based on a draft report.
• At meetings around the state, local election officials and the campaigns started going over more than 1,300 unopened absentee ballots that local officials believe were wrongly rejected.
TODAY'S SCHEDULE
• More meetings will be held around the state at which local officials and the campaigns review unopened absentee ballots and decide which ones were wrongly rejected. The two biggest counties -- Hennepin and Ramsey -- will take up the task today.
Key dates
Friday: Deadline for local election officials to send to the state all absentee ballots that they and the two campaigns agree were mistakenly rejected. They'll actually be sending the unopened envelopes containing the ballots.
Jan. 4: Deadline for Secretary of State's office to count the absentee ballots and report results.
Jan. 5: State Canvassing Board meets.
Jan. 6: U.S. Senate convenes in Washington. State Canvassing Board will meet again in St. Paul, if necessary.
