BRECKENRIDGE, Minn. — A woman who worked for Al Franken earlier this week during the Senate recount in one county ended up counting ballots as a nonpartisan volunteer here Saturday in a recount that grew heated at times.
Maggie Vertin, who spent two days in Fergus Falls for Otter Tail County’s recount as an observer for Franken, was one of eight volunteers who assisted with the Wilkin County effort in Breckenridge. Bob Westfall, who was in Breckenridge on Saturday as an observer for Norm Coleman, said he had concerns when members of his team learned a ballot counter had worked for Franken. “I don’t understand how you can switch from being partisan one day to being neutral today,” Westfall said. Vertin, who’s an election judge in Wilkin County, said she volunteered to help with the recount because she wanted to be part of the historic process. The county had eight election judges — all volunteers — and three staff working the recount, in addition to the auditor. Vertin, who lives in Breckenridge and has a cabin in Otter Tail County, said she was able to set her politics aside to help with the recount. “I feel I can be completely unbiased,” Vertin said. “Everyone in this room is partisan to some degree.” Otter Tail County Auditor Wayne Stein confirmed Saturday that Vertin worked for Franken during the recount Wednesday and Thursday. For one day, she was a table representative and had the ability to challenge ballots, Stein said. The second day she was a “roving representative” and could assist or advise other Franken representatives at any of the eight tables, Stein said. He did not know how many of the six Franken challenges in Otter Tail County Vertin may have issued or been involved with. Concerns about Vertin’s ties to Franken were not voiced during the recount process, other than some rumblings among Coleman observers. After the recount, Wilkin County Auditor Wayne Bezenek said he didn’t know Vertin had worked for Franken’s campaign. “Had I known that, she probably wouldn’t have been part of the team,” Bezenek said. “That would have been the right thing to do.” --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ Thanks for being part of "PoliticalForum" at Google Groups. For options & help see http://groups.google.com/group/PoliticalForum * Visit our other community at http://www.PoliticalForum.com/ * It's active and moderated. Register and vote in our polls. * Read the latest breaking news, and more. -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
