ST. PAUL, Minn. - Republican Rep. Mary Franson heads into a near-certain legislative recount with a bit more cushion after officials randomly discarded some ballots to fix a vote-counting error.

Franson, of Alexandria, now leads Democratic challenger Bob Cunniff by 11 votes. She had been clinging to a one-vote edge based on the election night count.

Following state law and a Douglas County judge's orders, county election officials Wednesday pulled 35 ballots from the mix. It was meant to fix a problem created when some voters received the wrong ballots that allowed them to vote in District 8B when they didn't live within its boundaries.

A recount of ballots by hand is slated to start next week after the state canvassing board meets.

Democrats have a 73-61 majority pending a reversal in the race.

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