Note: Please see UPDATE#3 below.

MinnPost.com is using the "2008 Election Results from Google" widget on our home page to show real-time election results compiled by Associated Press.

However, we noticed Independence Party candidate Dean Barkley is not included in results for "Minnesota: U.S. Senate". MinnPost contacted Google.com about this issue and was told it was an oversight when planning the map presentation.

Rick Klau from Google.com replied to emails saying the Barkley data should have been in the map, but concludes "...there's no way to change the map at this point."

UPDATE#1: Klau set me an e-mail with this: "[T]the Senate layer for Minnesota does show 'Others' so the 3rd party vote will be reflected on the map." Therefore, assuming Barkley would lead third party votes we can at least get an idea if Coleman and Franken are being contested.

UPDATE#2: At some point today, Google appears to have fixed the problem. Dean Barkley total votes are displayed when you hover over MN. Libertarian Party candidate Charles Aldrich is also included.

UPDATE#3: Rick Klau from Google.com sent me further clarification today, stating that the "2008 Election Results from Google" map widget actually displayed third party candidate data all along! He says, "The upper-right corner only showed two names (plus an "Other" below), but the hover box always included any named candidate on the ballot. So it was correct from the start." The confusion for me started before precincts were reporting -- Both Coleman and Franken had "0%" displaying after their names. I assumed incorrectly that no other data would be displayed. 

Election Results Interactive Map -- Hover your mouse over each state to view precincts reporting for John McCain and Barack Obama. Also use the form in the upper left corner of the map to choose a specific state and specific race (President, U.S. House or U.S. Senate.)