Day Three of the recount saw a big increase in the number of challenged ballots on both sides, bringing the total up to over 1,500 questioned ballots so far.  These ballots are set aside to be examined by the Canvassing Board when the recount is finished.   Norm Coleman’s lead has continued to ebb slowly away:  It’s down to 115 votes now per the MinnIndy, 120 per the Strib; either way, that’s less than one-tenth the current number of challenged ballots.  This bugger is likely going to be decided by the challenged ballots, which of course Coleman’s people will claim means that the recount wasn’t run fairly or some suchness.

That’s why Franken has been going after Coleman’s camp for its questionable questioning of ballots:  Franken’s people maintain that if you include a few dozen challenged ballots they show to be obviously Franken ballots, Coleman’s count drops well below 100.  Franken’s camp put some of the Coleman-challenged ballots onto video to show the world how silly Coleman’s challenges have been.

Once again, Franken did well in some rather red places:  He’s picked up 43 votes in Meeker County, which is as Republican as they come.  Same goes for Dakota (37) and Mille Lacs (16) Counties.

Meanwhile, Coleman still proclaims himself the winner, even as the recount shows that claim to be increasingly less likely with each passing day.   (By the way:  If you feel like it, toss Al Franken a few shekels for his recount legal team.  The Senate you save may be your own.)