Created: 11/04/2009 8:31 PM KSTC45.com | Print Story By: Becky Nahm

Hand Count of Mpls. Ranked Choice Ballots Begins

The first-ever ranked choice election in Minneapolis is over, but the counting has just begun.

Late Wednesday morning election judges and staff members started hand counting every single ballot cast Tuesday.

In order to win, a candidate needs 50 percent of the vote plus one.

Mayor R.T. Rybak has already won reelection and nine of the 13 city council wards are decided.

But, there are several races where voters second choices will determine the winner.

The counting could take until mid-December.

Minneapolis elections director Pat O'Connor said, "That sounds like a long time but state law gives us almost the full month of November and the full month of December exclusively for counting ballots."

Election officials are confident all the candidates will be seated on time so they can take the oath of office January 4.