Hopes Dim for Settling Minnesota Senate Race by Friday

Election officials attempted to make headway on Wednesday in determining the winner of the undecided Minnesota Senate race but it is unlikely the state will be able to certify a victor by Friday, as initially intended.

The effort to sort out the final vote in the incredibly narrow contest between Republican Sen. Norm Coleman and Democratic challenger Al Franken has been bogged down in a host of disputes over the way ballots have been counted. The state's canvassing board, which oversees and certifies statewide election results, is now two days into a review of challenged ballots, in which the voter's intent was disputed by one or the other campaign...