Editorial: Notes from the Senate race

Published Thursday, July 2, 2009

Congratulations to Senator-elect Al Franken in his victory in the protracted race against incumbent Norm Coleman.

After Franken’s oath next week, Minnesota finally will have two senators.

Though Franken received some knocks from this Editorial Board as a celebrity who hasn’t worked his way up the Minnesota political channels, he has seemed down-to-earth, gracious and focused on serving during the people of Minnesota. Ultimately, no matter his past, his performance will be what matters.

It’s not too early for state lawmakers to begin considering how to craft legislation that will change Minnesota elections. Some suggestions:

• When elections are in dispute and a winner cannot be determined before Jan. 1, the Minnesota executive branch needs the power to appoint a temporary senator or representative. Nearly all other states have this mechanism so they avoid being underrepresented in Congress.

• The Minnesota Supreme Court’s Coleman v. Franken ruling suggested that legislators review inconsistencies in ballot counting among counties. This case should be seen an opportunity to learn what works and doesn’t work and what could work better. The inconsistencies need to be cleared up so interpretations of state law aren’t so wide and varied.

Finally, we want to make mention of Franken’s life in Albert Lea for two years of his childhood. Our city residents indeed appreciate the Harvard graduate’s connection to our city. It seems most people residing in the Twin Cities have a connection to one or two cities in Greater Minnesota. Albert Lea is Franken’s tie.

Our city, as always, looks forward to any visit from the new senator. You can always return home to Albert Lea.

If you are curious which house the Frankens lived in, it is 1211 Dunham St. in west Albert Lea, according to a 1957 phone book.

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