Compared to the original tally, Al Franken gained 1,056 votes, and Norm Coleman gained 616. These new votes were sufficient to reverse the outcome. Whereas Norm Coleman had won by 215 votes in the original tally, the new numbers have Al Franken winning by 225 votes. Coleman does not accept the results and is contesting the recount results.

As a result, Chuck Baldwin gained 343 votes, Ralph Nader gained 226 votes, Cynthia McKinney gained 160 votes, and Jonathan Allan gained one vote.

Also, Brian Moore lost 778 votes, Alan Keyes lost 12 votes, and Thaddeus Hill lost 662 votes. The new totals should be posted soon on the nationwide presidential vote chart.

Ausman v Browning attacks the Florida state law, setting the primary at a date that violates national Democratic Party rules. The lawsuit argues that the state is depriving both Democrats and Republicans from having a voice in their own party’s national conventions, by setting the primary date so early. It is pending in U.S. District Court in Tallahassee (Ausman v Browning, 4:07-cv-519). It had a status conference on December 19, 2008.

Another case, DiMaio v Democratic National Committee, has a hearing on January 8 in the 11th circuit. This case attacks the Democratic Party’s national rule, saying that South Carolina and New Hampshire are permitted to have presidential primaries that count, in January; whereas other states may not. Because the Democratic Party has already said publicly that South Carolina was permitted to have an early presidential primary because the party wanted a state with a large African American population to go second (after New Hampshire), the lawsuit argues that the party’s rules are being determined by racial considerations, and that parties may not do this. The case depends on decision from the U.S. Supreme Court from the 1940’s that outlawed party rules that discriminated against African Americans. See this article about the DiMaio case. Thanks to Ed Still for the link.

However, there are signs that the Conservative machine is flagging slightly. In 2008, it had nominees in only 149 legislative races (out of 212 races). That was the lowest number it had run since 1964. Meanwhile, the Working Families Party of New York is gaining. In 2008 it ran nominees in 142 legislative races, its best showing so far.

Of course, since these two New York parties mostly cross-endorse Republican or Democratic nominees, the two New York minor parties have an easier time with candidate recruitment than most minor parties do. Still, it is always a sizeable amount of work to place that many nominees on each party’s primary ballot.

Nebraska has let each U.S. House district choose its own presidential elector, starting in 1992. In 2008, for the first time, one Nebraska district voted differently than the other districts, so that Barack Obama got one electoral vote, and John McCain got four.