1st Legal Salvo In Gov. Race: GOP Presses For Data

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) -- Minnesota Republicans want a court order to speed up the release of election data by two counties in the state's unsettled race for governor.

The first legal salvo in the recount-bound race was filed Friday by attorneys representing the state Republican Party and GOP nominee Tom Emmer. It seeks quicker responses to information requests in St. Louis and Pine counties.

Democrat Mark Dayton leads Emmer by 8,755 votes, a small enough margin to trigger an automatic hand recount of 2.1 million ballots. That process won't start until after Thanksgiving.

If Emmer is still behind after the recount is finished, he could file a lawsuit known as an election contest.

Friday's court filing doesn't mean an election lawsuit is imminent. In 2008, Democrat Al Franken went to court before the recount to seek access to information on rejected absentee ballots.

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