1. We've now got a 67 vote lead. GO DINO GO!

Posted by: Josef on November 17, 2004 10:36 AM

2. Under Beating Projections, do I read that right that if it's green it means that Gregoire is beating projections so far?

Posted by: Mike on November 17, 2004 11:01 AM

3. Stefan -

Everyone was talking about your work last night. We missed your input. Hope to see you next time.

Posted by: Al Hedstrom on November 17, 2004 11:05 AM

4. I read this morning in John Miller's column on NRO that, should Rossi lose, he and Jennifer Dunn would be the top tier canidates to run against Maria Cantwell for the Senate in 2006. Dunn, a former congresswoman who declined to run against Senator Murray in 2004, appears to be serious about retiring from politics. Miller speculated that Washtington state's loss would be to the gain of GOP senate hopes, as Rossi could mount a strong challenge to Cantwell, who only won by a few thousand votes in 2000.

Posted by: The Mose on November 17, 2004 11:16 AM

5. SOS has Rossi +96 votes with 5,941 left. Where are you getting Rossi +36 from?

Posted by: Marc on November 17, 2004 11:20 AM

6. Anyway, I fear that we Republicans have to go to Court, because it's necessary that the same law is applied all over the State of WA.

Posted by: Alex on November 17, 2004 11:23 AM

7. 1) What Marc said.

2) the 1059 update is weird. How is it possible for Gregoire to expand the extent to which she beats expectations, but for Rossi's non-King expected margin of victory to grow?

Thanks for doing this, by the way.

Posted by: DJW on November 17, 2004 11:28 AM

8. I must agree with DJW. Besides, have you got any news from King County?

Posted by: Alex on November 17, 2004 11:37 AM

9. Well, he is up to +156 with 5,731 left.

Posted by: Marc on November 17, 2004 11:42 AM

10. Also, King County "found" another 50 votes. They are estimating 1,450 now.

Posted by: Marc on November 17, 2004 11:44 AM

11. Yeah, Rossi just got a 44 vote boost from the final Grant county tally. Grant is one of the strongest GOP counties in the state.

Posted by: djw on November 17, 2004 11:45 AM

12. It's quite a stolen election! Demons you're shit.

Posted by: Alex on November 17, 2004 11:46 AM

13. DJW/Alex -- As I mentioned, I changed the table format, because the earlier version was probably confusing. (One of the columns projected the lead in the remaining ballots only). Now I track the total projected lead. The projections may fluctuate slightly because the estimates of uncounted ballots can also be revised.
Finally, the "Beating Projections" column is based on how the actual reported results differ from the earlier projected results. It is not based on the projections about as yet uncounted ballots.

Posted by: Stefan Sharkansky on November 17, 2004 11:49 AM

14. Gotcha. Thanks.

Posted by: djw on November 17, 2004 11:59 AM

15. Thanks Stefan, you're great!

Posted by: Alex on November 17, 2004 12:02 PM

16. Re recounts
Having some personal experience with a tight race and recount. There are factors that can and usually will change some votes. i.e. punch card voting. Unless human error is found -- few votes will change with the exception of punch cards.

Especially in counties with mail in punch card voting. Many simply do not get the famous chad all the way removed from the ballot. Everytime the ballot goes thru the machine more will fall out. In a hand count there is the possiblilty for significant votes to be found.
The final outcome could very well be determined by which counties use punch card and who they favor. The mail punch card counties will have more significant change, voters not punching straight down etc.

Spectator

Posted by: Spectator on November 17, 2004 12:16 PM

17. What the heck, Asotin is up to 961 ballots to be counted. Rossi is winning the county 57 - 41. Good news for Rossi. I guess King County isn't the only one "finding" extra ballots.

Posted by: Marc on November 17, 2004 12:31 PM

18. Punch Card Counties (from www.electionline.org):

Clallam
Island
Mason
Thurston
Pacific
Lewis
Clark
Whatcom
Okanogan
Stevens
Lincoln
Benton
Franklin
Asotin

Most of these are heavily Rossi counties.

All the remaining counties use optical scan ballots, except that Snohomish and Yakima use electronic computers at the polling places.

In a machine recount, hanging chads on a punch card ballot may or may not fall off. Dimpled chads will be missed entirely and not get counted.

In Florida in 2000, Bush and Gore supporters were equally likely to be less forceful in punching their ballots. Gore gained votes from the hand count, because they were done in counties that he had carried heavily.

With machine counting, absentee and provisional optical scan ballots that are marked improperly are noticed, and have already been duplicated and remarked. Polling place ballots have not been, and will be noticed and remarked/duplicated in a machine recount.

However, a machine recount will not do much to improve problems with punch card ballots. Only a hand count will do so.

I am thinking that the election will be closer than 150 votes today, and that a hand recount will be ordered.

If not, there may be an equal protection violation, since a machine recount is much more likely to notice and improve improperly marked ballots in Gregoire areas (i.e. King County) that use optical ballots, than in Rossi areas (i.e. Lewis, Clark, Benton, Franklin, etc.) that use punch card ballots.

It may come down to having to pay for a hand count in the Rossi counties that use punch card ballots.

Posted by: Richard on November 17, 2004 12:32 PM

19. Aw, crap. Asotin county just found 961 ballots.

Unlike some of y'all, I'll resist the temptation to assume this is a sign of GOP shenanigans. It should boost Rossi by over 100 votes though. Damn.

Posted by: DJW on November 17, 2004 12:34 PM

20. The extra 961 for Asotin must have been an error. It was changed in the 12:31 report.

Posted by: Stefan Sharkansky on November 17, 2004 12:35 PM

21. Ah, yes, that same update suggested the Asotin county turnout was .07%, or 8 voters. Not likely. Much calmer now.

Posted by: DJW on November 17, 2004 12:38 PM

22. Stefan, if I'm reading the charts and projections correctly, it looks like Rossi is pretty much getting the number of extra votes projected for his counties, but
Gregoire is overperforming expectations in the non-King Dem counties.

The projection was that Gregoire would get 45 votes total in her counties, but she actually has 58 already, with a lot of votes still to count.

Obviously, King remains the wild card since we haven't seen any new totals.

Is this the current state of play?

Thanks.

Posted by: bobm on November 17, 2004 12:49 PM

23. Bobm,

Rossi is a little short of earlier projections both in "his" counties and in Gregoire's counties. But those projections were never expected to be all that precise, and the current 15 vote difference out of 1,292 cast is about 1.2%.

The other thing to realize is that Gregoire's earlier lead in "her" counties has been very slim. 91% of those uncounted Gregoire county votes are in Grays Harbor, which she's winning only by 0.19% (that would give her a pick up of only 10 votes if that margin held). On the other hand, even ignoring the doubly-counted batch that was corrected, Rossi has still held the lead in the late counted Grays Harbor votes. Nevertheless, the simple model I'm using gives Gregoire a small pick up from those votes.

The real answer: Who knows?

Posted by: Stefan Sharkansky on November 17, 2004 01:10 PM

24. Another Texan watching with some interest your governor's race. I have a brother stationed at Whidby NAS and a Mom living in Oak Harbor who both keep me up to date with emails but this site is a little more real time. Is there a history of close elections like this up there or is the a first time thing. Be careful of "found ballots" LBJ was a master of that down here.

Posted by: SAC on November 17, 2004 01:31 PM

25. The projected margin requires an AUTOMATIC RECOUNT or NOT ????

Other states would, but here ??? Who can answwr that question, please?

Posted by: leaddog2 on November 17, 2004 01:34 PM

26. The state secretary site says that if the votes are within 2000 votes, then a recount is automatic. See this FAQ page.

This is definitely close. I wonder with the number of votes remaining so low if we can count on statistics to hold? I mean, saying one canidate has has being taking 60% of the votes in a county doesn't really mean 6 of the next 10 votes go to that canidate. It seems to me it really is any ones guess at this point who will win.

Posted by: Jack Richins on November 17, 2004 01:40 PM

27. Yes - there will be a recount - the only question now is will it be a hand recount (under 150 vote difference).

Posted by: carolp on November 17, 2004 01:41 PM

28. I am afraid that I have to disagree with this:

"In Florida in 2000, Bush and Gore supporters were equally likely to be less forceful in punching their ballots. Gore gained votes from the hand count, because they were done in counties that he had carried heavily."

In my opinion -- an opinion shared by John Fund -- the gains made by Gore in the recounts were not attributable to anything so innocent. Two examples: In the first recount, Palm Beach county supposedly put the same punch cards through the same machines and gained about 500 votes for Gore. This is completely implausible. In the second recount, Broward gained about 500 as well, by counting ballots that had never been accepted in Florida before and by using different standards for Bush and Gore votes. Democrat Bob Kerrey, after seeing one of the "votes" they counted, said he couldn't see it, and retreated from the scene.

Several people have done statistical tests on the gains for Gore in the recounts. Results differ, but typically they find a million to one odds against the Gore gains in the recounts being legitimate.

Posted by: Jim Miller on November 17, 2004 01:42 PM

29. Yah Skagit!!!!!

Dino is now above projections!!! Thank you Grant and Skagit for coming up big today so far!!

Posted by: gustafm on November 17, 2004 01:44 PM

30. Skagit turned in 415 votes, more than double the 200 they were showing. Hopefully, Benton has an extra thousand because King will definately come in higher than anticipated.

Posted by: David on November 17, 2004 01:46 PM

31. Does the projected lead (ex-King) of +741 include the 500-some odd vote swing for Gregoire in Gray's Harbor?

And yes, that was a nice Skagit boost! Come on Benton...

Posted by: Chris on November 17, 2004 01:47 PM

32. I have a feeling that Stevens County will have a lot more than 600 ballots. The 4 neighboring counties (Pend Oreille, Spokane, Lincoln & Ferry) all have turnout in the 82 to 88% range. If 600 votes are added to Stevens, it will put them at 70% turnout. Unless there is something unique about Stevens that suppresses turnout, I think there will be more.

Posted by: Jim on November 17, 2004 01:52 PM

33. Stefan:

Question. Between the 12:53 update and the 1:31 update, the two canidates gained a total of 585 votes. Yet, on your grid, the number of Rossi county votes still to count only declined by 200 while the votes to count in the Gregoire counties did not decline. Shouldn't the increase in the vote totals equal the decline in the number of votes left to count? What am I missing here? Great work, though - much appreciated.

Posted by: The Mose on November 17, 2004 01:53 PM

34. Does the projected lead (ex-King) of +741 include the 500-some odd vote swing for Gregoire in Gray's Harbor?

It incorporates yesterday's Grays Harbor recount.

Posted by: Stefan Sharkansky on November 17, 2004 01:54 PM

35. Shouldn't the increase in the vote totals equal the decline in the number of votes left to count? What am I missing here?

Not necessarily. The "votes left to count" is only an estimate and it is an estimate that is revised from time to time. The report of actual gubernatorial votes may vary quite a bit from earlier estimates of uncounted ballots. For a number of reasons -- the number of ballots that are actually counted may be different from the estimate. Plus, not all ballots that are counted contain a vote for either of the major gubernatorial candidates.

Posted by: Stefan Sharkansky on November 17, 2004 01:57 PM

36. Good news: Spokane came in with 29 votes, was showing only 10 left to count.
Bad news: Rossi lost 1 vote from his lead.

Posted by: David on November 17, 2004 02:01 PM

37. Thanks Stefan. Keep up the good, and up to date, work. My refresh-button-crazy index finger and I have settled on this blog since you seem to have the fastest response time. Thanks.

Posted by: Chris on November 17, 2004 02:18 PM

38. King County is waiting to see how many votes they need to give Gregoire.

Posted by: Freeze on November 17, 2004 02:22 PM

39. King county should be sequestered from the Media like a jury...it does seem they find votes when they fall behind.

Go Wahkiakum County...found a few extra there. Just a few.

Posted by: Chris on November 17, 2004 02:26 PM

40. re punch cards
Additional punch card votes will reflect only the already established trend. Additional votes will be most significant from mail-in punch card counties, especially those that don't include the styrofoam backing and a little metal punch tool. My guess would be that the D candidate would glean some additional votes in Thurston with a hand recount. I found this years ago in a recount,there was a significant difference between absentee punch cards and polling place punch cards. This will only change the outcome if the numbers remain tight and it goes to a hand recount or someone pays for a hand recount in a county like Thurston.

Posted by: spectator on November 17, 2004 02:37 PM

41. To all Rs: you'll sue if Rossi ends up behind.

To all Ds: you'll sue if Gregoire ends up behind.

To all: there is no difference (neither side is more adept at stealing/cheating than the other).

Whomever sues will say they want all votes to count or all legitimate votes to count. BS. They want their candidate to win. I wish they would just admit it. It's not about fairness in any sense. It's MY CANDIDATE TO WIN at all costs.

Posted by: ray on November 17, 2004 02:51 PM

42. Rossi just picked up 17 net votes from Whatcom, wow!

Posted by: David on November 17, 2004 02:56 PM

43. Actually, I'm fairly certain that the WA Dems are better at stealing & cheating--they've been running the state for 20 years, they're better at pretty much everything.

Except, unfortunately, running the state.

Posted by: Timothy on November 17, 2004 02:56 PM

44. If you have the votes stop talking and counting, if not keep talking and counting. Unfortunately, this has been an ugly little secret for years, when our voting system has been put under a microscope it hasn't been too pretty, especially when and where the system is not uniform. The cherry picking will soon happen on both sides.

Posted by: spectator on November 17, 2004 03:05 PM

45. To all: there is no difference (neither side is more adept at stealing/cheating than the other).

Everybody does it, blah, blah, blah...

Stefan, great site. Thanks.

Posted by: South County on November 17, 2004 03:08 PM

46. What time do all the votes need to be in by?

Posted by: Freeze on November 17, 2004 03:10 PM

47. Yeah, well my county (Skagino, formerly Skagit) has... okay, I gave it away... but has came through with new ballots to save the DinoDay.

I just hope I don't live to regret this.

Posted by: Josef on November 17, 2004 03:13 PM

48. I have no illusions that King is the dominant county, but I don't see Benton as having reported in yet today. It is the second biggest supporter of Rossi by % in the state and sizable population. Factored in already or a more expected swing?

Posted by: Matt on November 17, 2004 03:14 PM

49. It's hard to figure if Benton's just waiting for the media trucks to arrive or if it the same disorganized mess it was years ago during a count.

Posted by: spectator on November 17, 2004 03:25 PM

50. Isn't Stevens County pro-Rossi - I see they have a lot of ballots not in yet????

Posted by: carolP on November 17, 2004 03:29 PM

51. Thanks for the continual updates. Somehow your 3:01 pm posting does not agree with the State office talley. They show Rossi up by 203, you show him up by 212.

Thanks for all your efforts.

Posted by: Randy on November 17, 2004 03:33 PM

52. Where did the +212 number come from?

As of 3:01pm the SoS shows the following:

Christine Gregoire Democrat 1368369 48.86%
Dino Rossi Republican 1368572 48.87%
Ruth Bennett Libertarian 63171 2.25%

Isn't Rossi ahead by only 203 votes?

Posted by: sploosh on November 17, 2004 03:33 PM

53. Stevens is 61.8% Rossi using my copy and paste skills from http://www.vote.wa.gov/general/resultsbycounty.aspx?o=3001&t=s to Excel and doing a formula.

Maybe Bobbi's going to sport a new shade of eye shadow? ....Oh, I'm being mean. Stop me!

Posted by: Matt on November 17, 2004 03:35 PM

54. Paul Berendt (DNC Chair) says that King County found ANOTHER 1500 votes and actually have more than 3000 to report...

Posted by: gustafm on November 17, 2004 03:35 PM

55. It looks really good for Dino at this point. Uncounted ballots are expected to be higher in Benson and Stevens counties. This will significantly pad Dino's lead. In addition... Grays Harbor has shown some promise to favor Rossi in the remaining 1221 votes. If Dino can build up a a 1000 vote lead by the time King county issues their final vote tabulations, liberalism central would have to produce a very significant amount of extra ballots to change the outcome. Dem. party chairman says now that there will be 3000 votes (3:35pm). With the 60/40 split, 1450 King Co. votes will yield a 290 vote pick up for Gregoire. 3000=600 pick up. Rossi has been fairing better in King recently and so even those 290/600 votes might be a liberal estimate. Let's hope that Benson and Steven put this out of reach for C.G.

Posted by: Nathan on November 17, 2004 03:36 PM

56. John Carlsen, KVI is on now - the democrat he's talking to said that King County has 3000 votes not l450 - what are republican pole watchers saying?

Posted by: carolp on November 17, 2004 03:37 PM

57. I haven't had so much fun since Florida 2000.
I have the Champagne on ice.

Thanks for the great work on this site.

Posted by: Spivey on November 17, 2004 03:38 PM

58. Are comments working ...

Posted by: Marc on November 17, 2004 03:40 PM

59. Are comments working ...

Posted by: Marc on November 17, 2004 03:40 PM

60. Randy/Sploosh - there must have been an intermediate report that has since been updated. I updated the table.

Posted by: Stefan Sharkansky on November 17, 2004 03:48 PM

61. Stevens reported..lead up to +405!

Posted by: Chris on November 17, 2004 03:51 PM

62. Well, Rossi up to +405. But, if they have found extra ballots in King County I don't think he is going to make it. Based on the 1,450 Gregoire is +700. With another 1,000 she will get at least another 150 - 200 votes.

Posted by: Marc on November 17, 2004 03:52 PM

63. Rossi lead now 405!!!!!!!!!!!

Posted by: Spvey on November 17, 2004 03:53 PM

64. Lead down to 41 votes. King County must have reported.

Posted by: Marc on November 17, 2004 03:58 PM

65. King just reported... Rossi only down by 41... King swung the race by almost 450 votes- much less than what was anticipated - 700-800. holy smokes - I think he won! - Benton, Whitman and others still left- favoring Dino. Good times.

Posted by: Nathan on November 17, 2004 04:00 PM

66. Rossi wins. He is up 41 votes and no more from King County. Grays Harbor is the only wildcard at this point. Lets hope Benton County salts this thing away.

Posted by: Marc on November 17, 2004 04:00 PM

67. Gregoire up 41 and SOS has King county as reporting and 0 left to count

Posted by: Steve on November 17, 2004 04:01 PM

68. Looks like Rossi will have about 700-750 vote lead before King reports, but it sounds like King will come up with whatever it takes.

Posted by: David on November 17, 2004 04:01 PM

69. Nathan - You are right. Rossi is DOWN 41 votes. If Benton County has anywhere near the number of ballots they say they have Rossi will win.

Posted by: Marc on November 17, 2004 04:02 PM

70. Oh my. I think OtherNathan is right. SecState is reporting King with 0 ballots left to count and Gregoire with only a marginal lead. I think Rossi's got it. Now he just needs enough to prevent a recount from swinging this.

Posted by: Nathan on November 17, 2004 04:02 PM

71. where do you see on the SOS website how many ballots are left to be reported?

Posted by: Brian on November 17, 2004 04:05 PM

72. Down to Gregoire +29.

Posted by: Marc on November 17, 2004 04:05 PM

73. King County reported a total of 1359 votes, 879 for Gregoire and 433 for Rossi, 47 for Bennett.

Posted by: South County on November 17, 2004 04:05 PM

74. is king county completely done?

and benton will report to put rossi back up?

or does king county have more out there?

Posted by: Ray on November 17, 2004 04:07 PM

75. That King County report was only 65% Gregoire votes, but the 650 signature corrections are 90% Gregoire. Go figure, spreadsheet mavens.

Posted by: X on November 17, 2004 04:08 PM

76. Holy Moly! Could it be any closer?????!!!!!

Posted by: Jason on November 17, 2004 04:09 PM

77. State site:

http://vote.wa.gov/general/status.aspx

Posted by: Steve on November 17, 2004 04:10 PM

78. Benton County shows 750 votes out, King County zero. Grays Harbor shows 1220, all other counties show 776 combined outstanding.

Posted by: South County on November 17, 2004 04:10 PM

79. http://vote.wa.gov/general/status.aspx

Here is the SOS link Brian.

Posted by: Marc on November 17, 2004 04:11 PM

80. I've been watching the stats through the latter half of the day and it seems once the county report--there it stays for today. Counties left to report today appear in Rossi order: Benton (68%), Franklin, Douglas, Okanogan, Whitman, Island, Clark, Skamania, Grays Harbor, Cowlitz (49%). To me that says any reporting now will likely sway Rossi's way. Benton seems the wild card now that King appears done.

Posted by: Matt on November 17, 2004 04:11 PM

81. This is fabulously good news. Gregoire's only up by 29, and she's pretty much out of votes, unless something sincerely wierd happens in Gray's Harbor.

Posted by: Timothy on November 17, 2004 04:12 PM

82. X, are the signature correction votes with 90% for Gregoire included in the current tally? Or is that a separate count not yet in the current tally?

Posted by: bt on November 17, 2004 04:13 PM

83. I'm worried about Grays Harbor...they had the mistaken totals yesterday.

Posted by: South County on November 17, 2004 04:13 PM

84. bt, I don't know either way for a fact. All I can suggest is that a 65% Gregoire fraction in ballots counted today seems unlikely to include the corrected signature ballots. Either those ballots have already been in the total, or there are hugely offsetting corrections by the Republicans, or there are about 500 more votes coming Gregoire's way.

Honestly, I think the 500 more votes are yet to come. It's possible the Republican who is in charge of King County elections wants to amp up the drama of these ballots being recovered. By reporting them at the very last, they are emphasized and made to seem unusual and special. They are unusual and special, but, damn it, these people voted.

Posted by: X on November 17, 2004 04:16 PM

85. bt, I don't know either way for a fact. All I can suggest is that a 65% Gregoire fraction in ballots counted today seems unlikely to include the corrected signature ballots. Either those ballots have already been in the total, or there are hugely offsetting corrections by the Republicans, or there are about 500 more votes coming Gregoire's way.

Honestly, I think the 500 more votes are yet to come. It's possible the Republican who is in charge of King County elections wants to amp up the drama of these ballots being recovered. By reporting them at the very last, they are emphasized and made to seem unusual and special. They are unusual and special, but, damn it, these people voted.

Posted by: X on November 17, 2004 04:16 PM

86. Is there any way for Rossi to lose if that is it for King County?

Posted by: Marc on November 17, 2004 04:18 PM

87. I think I am refreshing this page almost as much as the Sec State page......

Posted by: Jason on November 17, 2004 04:19 PM

88. weren't all reports have to be in by 4pm?

does that make gregoire the winner?

benton's don't count?

it says 4pm on the sec of state website

Posted by: Ray on November 17, 2004 04:20 PM

89. LOL me, too!!!

Posted by: Brian on November 17, 2004 04:20 PM

90. Cowlitz in...Gregoire up 35.

Posted by: South County on November 17, 2004 04:25 PM

91. now Gregoire +35.....sigh

Posted by: Jason on November 17, 2004 04:25 PM

92. Ray, where do you see 4pm? Near as I can tell, it just says "November 17" everywhere, which would imply either close of business or, more likely, midnight.

Posted by: Timothy on November 17, 2004 04:25 PM

93. One county isn't even scheduled to report until 5, so I don't think the deadline could be 4pm. More would have been on time.

Posted by: Chris on November 17, 2004 04:27 PM

94. One county isn't even scheduled to report until 5, so I don't think the deadline could be 4pm. More would have been on time.

Posted by: Chris on November 17, 2004 04:27 PM

95. Someone on a campaign staff told me the deadline is 6pm.

Posted by: X on November 17, 2004 04:28 PM

96. Have no fear...Benton's will count. There are counties still reporting as I write this. There's at least 750 outstanding in Benton alone. Gregoire is maintaining a 35 vote lead right now which will crumble with additional votes from Benton, Whitman, Franklin and Clark counties. Grays Harbor will have little impact as they are virtually even split and Gregoire can only hope to gain 20-30 votes at the most.

Posted by: Nathan on November 17, 2004 04:28 PM

97. Stefan,
Thanks and kudos for doing such a terrific job and making such a civic contributation. I haven't had this much fun in a long time. Being the political junkie that I am, this has been like finding the mother lode. I think when all is said and done, Dino Rossi is going to make us all a great governor and get this state back on track!!

Kind Regards, Michael F.

Posted by: Michael on November 17, 2004 04:28 PM

98. Gregoire up to +35.

Posted by: Marc on November 17, 2004 04:28 PM

99. Is Benton still using the old buiding in Prosser to process ballots? Years ago it was a disorganized mess, ballots in little piles all over messy tables. No one seeming to know what was going one.

Posted by: Spectator on November 17, 2004 04:29 PM

100. I just wanted to echo Michael's comments - thank you Stefan!!

Posted by: Jason on November 17, 2004 04:30 PM

101. As of this moment, aside from the Grays Harbor recount, every remaining outstanding ballot is in a Rossi friendly county. Chew on that.

Posted by: Nathan Azinger on November 17, 2004 04:30 PM

102. What are the odds that now that King reported attorneys are driving to Grays Harbor thinking it's like Dade County in 2000? Or could they be splitting up and one half are headed over I-90 to Tri-Cities. If they do send to Tri-Cities the R's and D's will be all confused on how to deal with the auditor. She's a D that turned R in 2000 because of the Florida debacle and D's breathing down her neck.

This is proving the addage--All politics are local.

Posted by: Matt on November 17, 2004 04:31 PM

103. Who just reported. Gregoire +34.

Posted by: Marc on November 17, 2004 04:31 PM

104. i was wrong about 4pm....thought I saw that earlier

Posted by: Ray on November 17, 2004 04:31 PM

105. I say this election stinks. Nobody can prove anything yet King County continues to find ballots that do not trend with the rest of the ballots.

Posted by: Jeremy on November 17, 2004 04:32 PM

106. Clark reported, not favorable to Rossi even though it was expected to be.

Posted by: Chris on November 17, 2004 04:32 PM

107. Clark County reported Marc. They were a 53% Rossi to 45% Gregoire county.

Posted by: Matt on November 17, 2004 04:34 PM

108. Right, Dino should have picked up 15 from Clark, but only got +1. Come 'on Benton!

Posted by: Brian Emanuels on November 17, 2004 04:35 PM

109. Lawyers driving to other counties? I expect them to be flying in helicopters. LOL.

Posted by: bt on November 17, 2004 04:35 PM

110. y'all refreshin are bringing down the sec of state's website...

Posted by: Dustin on November 17, 2004 04:37 PM

111. Stefan - Is your model projecting a 348 vote victory for Rossi if King is done?

Posted by: Marc on November 17, 2004 04:37 PM

112. Yeoman work Shark! Way to go on the AP story(ies) about Sound Politics. And Brit Hume citing 'bloggers keeping watch' on the Washington State gubernatorial nail-biter...

Posted by: P Scott on November 17, 2004 04:38 PM

113. Franklin alone should net Rossi 90 votes. Benton will hopefully help us avoid a hand recount.

Posted by: Nathan on November 17, 2004 04:40 PM

114. Stephan, what does the * mean?

Posted by: Brian on November 17, 2004 04:40 PM

115. I believe it refers to the top. "FLASH 3:59pm: King County reported a smaller than expected lead to Gregoire. The rows in the table below (starting with 3:59pm) are net of the King County report. Unless there are more uncounted ballots in King, Rossi is still on track to win."

Posted by: Nathan on November 17, 2004 04:42 PM

116. possibly the question about the provisional king county ballots?

Posted by: Dustin on November 17, 2004 04:42 PM

117. What the heck is going on Montesano that is taking so damn long??!!! Come on Grays Harbor County, get with it already!!!!

Posted by: Jason on November 17, 2004 04:42 PM

118. What's with Grays Harbor? Are they waiting to play their cards until last? Suspicious. Especially with all that double count, recount, blah, blah, blah....

Posted by: Jeff B on November 17, 2004 04:43 PM

119. just saw on another website that king is done and certified

Posted by: Ray on November 17, 2004 04:43 PM

120. King is done. Victory is sealed-

Posted by: Nathan on November 17, 2004 04:44 PM

121. Where is the info that King County is done and sealed? Are you talking about the Secy of State's website?

Posted by: Terry Mueller on November 17, 2004 04:47 PM

122. Should be, but I also heard that Grays Harbor will report a 277 vote win for Gregoir, which would be about 120 better than expected. So it's gonna be close. Hopefully more than 150 though, so we don't have to have a hand recount...

Can anyone say "hanging chad"?

Posted by: Brian Emanuels on November 17, 2004 04:48 PM

123. Sec of State having a news conference right now - http://www.king5.com/perl/common/video/wmPlayer.pl?title=beloint_nwcn&props=live

Posted by: Jason on November 17, 2004 04:49 PM

124. Benton must be waiting to make sure that King is done ...

Posted by: Marc on November 17, 2004 04:50 PM

125. Thanks for the head's up on the press conference, Jason.

Posted by: Seth Cooper on November 17, 2004 04:51 PM

126. Skamania in...Gregoire up 28.

Posted by: South County on November 17, 2004 04:52 PM

127. who just reported... Gregoire leads by 28?

Posted by: Nathan on November 17, 2004 04:52 PM

128. Skamania in: Dino gains 6 and now trails by 28.

Posted by: Brian Emanuels on November 17, 2004 04:53 PM

129. Gregoire down to +28. Skamania is done.

Posted by: Marc on November 17, 2004 04:56 PM

130. Skamania is done. Rossi picks up 6 votes.

Posted by: Marc on November 17, 2004 04:56 PM

131. when will benton report? i keep checking

http://www.co.benton.wa.us/cgi-bin/wwwquery/election/showresults.qry?RACE=:Next%20Update:

Posted by: Ray on November 17, 2004 04:58 PM

132. Having watched Benton County before--they'll very likely update the state and their site before their own.

Posted by: Matt on November 17, 2004 05:00 PM

133. Any more word on Grays Harbor. If she picks up another 120 votes that could make the difference between hand count or machine count.

Posted by: Marc on November 17, 2004 05:03 PM

134. Well, it could make the difference between Rossi or Gregoire if Benton doesn't get moving.

Posted by: Chris on November 17, 2004 05:05 PM

135. Grays harbor site (for direct viewing): http://www.co.grays-harbor.wa.us/info/results/el_results.asp

Posted by: Ray on November 17, 2004 05:06 PM

136. If Brain Emanuels (above comment)is correct

I have Rossi only winning by ~50 votes!
So don't celebrate yet Rossi fans .....

"I also heard that Grays Harbor will report a 277 vote win for Gregoir, ..."
Posted by Brian Emanuels at November 17, 2004 04:48 PM

Posted by: John B on November 17, 2004 05:08 PM

137. Stefan, while I'm on the "other team" I really enjoyed your coverage and want to mention that while I think you've been a bit too quick to insinuate fraud and foul play, I wholeheartedly agree with your final statement about the unnecessary sloppiness and lack of trasparency in the process. Sam Reed is one of my favorite Republicans; I hope he can spearhead an effort to clean this up. Otherwise, if you guys can field a better challenger than Nethercutt, we may be here again in two years!

Posted by: djw on November 17, 2004 05:13 PM

138. John B,

Are you assuming a 277 vote win from just the remaining ballots or for the total win, which is already at +164 for Gregoire?

If the total win in Grays Harbor is 277, I still have a Rossi win of ~250.

Posted by: bp on November 17, 2004 05:16 PM

139. Dino +4!!!

Posted by: Jason on November 17, 2004 05:16 PM

140. Rossi up by 4. Checking to see who reported now.

Posted by: Nathan Azinger on November 17, 2004 05:16 PM

141. Dino by 4 votes! You've got to be kidding me!

Posted by: B. Huston on November 17, 2004 05:17 PM

142. That was Whitman, I think.

Posted by: Brian K on November 17, 2004 05:18 PM

143. Looks like Whitman.

Posted by: Nathan Azinger on November 17, 2004 05:18 PM

144. Don't forget what made this all possible. The HAVA act, passed in 2002 under the guidance of Jimmy Carter and Leon Panneta (Clinton's Cheif Of Staff) that mandated provisional ballots. It's easy to cheat with provisionals, there's no process in place to verify that all provisionals are indeed valid. Non-citizens, felons, and those who would like to vote twice are all well served by provisional ballots. Think about that when you see the final totals of this election and then remember how many provisionals that King County submitted. The Democrats put this in place to make sure they'd be well served if another Florida happened. Well it did not happen in the Presidential Election, but it might be happening here in WA.

Posted by: Jeff B on November 17, 2004 05:19 PM

145. Stephan - Are you now projecting that Rossi will win by only 60?

Posted by: carolp on November 17, 2004 05:24 PM

146. Someone just came in big for Dino.....+92

Posted by: Jason on November 17, 2004 05:24 PM

147. I was wondering about that too...maybe that's 360?

Posted by: djw on November 17, 2004 05:25 PM

148. Franklin

Posted by: Jeremy on November 17, 2004 05:26 PM

149. Now it's Grays Harbor vs. Benton, spotting Benton 92. My money's certainly on Benton.

Posted by: djw on November 17, 2004 05:26 PM

150. I think it was Franklin.

Posted by: Jeff B on November 17, 2004 05:26 PM

151. Franklin just in, Rossi up by 92.

Posted by: Andy MacDonald on November 17, 2004 05:27 PM

152. It was Franklin: 135 for Gregoire, 223 for Dino; Net +88 for Dino (right in line with estimate, despite 50% more votes than projected).

Posted by: Brian Emanuels on November 17, 2004 05:27 PM

153. Who passed HAVA? Was the House controlled by the Dems? Was the Senate? Who signed it into law?

I mean, really. If you believe this then you must think that the GOP is run by illiterate idiots who don't know what the hell they're voting on.

And I think we're looking at the dreaded hand recount, folks.

Posted by: dw on November 17, 2004 05:28 PM

154. That was Franklin. Benton and Grays Harbor still to come.

Posted by: Nathan Azinger on November 17, 2004 05:28 PM

155. Yep, Franklin, with what appears to be a GOP-heavy final batch, even for that county.

Posted by: djw on November 17, 2004 05:28 PM

156. Shameless plug for my blog entry on using Excel to predict the election. I'd say it was useful but who could predict courts and provisional ballots and whatnot.

http://blogs.msdn.com/jrule/archive/2004/11/12/256794.aspx

Posted by: Jeremy on November 17, 2004 05:33 PM

157. Grays Harbor says it has 1,221; Benton 750. If that is how it indeed pans out, then considering that Dino is now up by 92 votes, Gregoire will have to win the remaining ballots by a 5 percentage point margin to take the lead.

Posted by: Terry Mueller on November 17, 2004 05:35 PM

158. Oh man, where is the Pepcid......

Posted by: Jason on November 17, 2004 05:40 PM

159. What is the story on why the counties, which are supposedly required to report by 5:00 by law, are not reporting by the deadline?

Posted by: Bryan Tagas on November 17, 2004 05:41 PM

160. Man, I have to go to the restroom, but am afraid to leave my chair, waiting for all these results to pour in...HURRY UP!!!

Posted by: Michael on November 17, 2004 05:44 PM

161. I wonder how many ballots have been 'found' in King County in previous gubernatorial elections? And why not, say, Pierce?

Posted by: MC on November 17, 2004 05:44 PM

162. There is no 5:00 pm requirement for a canvassing board to certify an election. RCW 29A.60.190 simply requires that on the tenth day after a special election or primary and on the fifteenth day after a general election, the county canvassing board shall complete the canvass and certify the results.

Posted by: JR on November 17, 2004 05:45 PM

163. This is getting ridiculous - are the folks in Montesano lolly-gagging around on purpose, waiting for the Benton numbers to come in? Sheesh.

Posted by: Jason on November 17, 2004 05:51 PM

164. Sam Reed ln KVI says Benton trending 2-1 Rossi on absentee and provisional,Grays Harbor absentee slightly to Rossi.

Posted by: South County on November 17, 2004 05:52 PM

165. Reed also predicts 200-300 vote win for Rossi.

Posted by: South County on November 17, 2004 05:53 PM

166. thanks South County - I have been jonesin' for some news the past few minutes!!!

Posted by: Jason on November 17, 2004 05:54 PM

167. Can we just say it now? Rossi wins based on first count.

Sheesh. The numbers just isn't there for Gregorie folks.

Posted by: B.Huston on November 17, 2004 05:55 PM

168. It's not on the Secy of State's website yet, but King 5 just reported that Grays Harbor has come in and Gregoire is now narrowly in the lead -- I think the margin was about 37 votes.

Posted by: Terry Mueller on November 17, 2004 05:55 PM

169. Jean Enerson on King 5 news just announced that Grays Harbor has counted and Gregoire is leading by 13 votes! Except...............The State website is not reporting this yet! How can the media get results before they are listed?? Or perhaps they have been given false info...which would serve them right!

Posted by: Deborah on November 17, 2004 05:57 PM

170. Grays harbor reported on their website. Net +105 for Gregorie over yesterday

Posted by: Ray on November 17, 2004 05:58 PM

171. They get their information from the same person who lets the web site admin know. News TV is faster than a computer person, even in these modern times.

For what it's worth, I think you all should get braced for some more King County votes.

Posted by: X on November 17, 2004 05:59 PM

172. Now on SofS websie.

Posted by: South County on November 17, 2004 06:02 PM

173. state web site is showing grays harbor as reporting now. http://vote.wa.gov/general/status.aspx -
More votes in King County... don't kid yourself.

Posted by: nathan on November 17, 2004 06:03 PM

174. Sec of State now has Gregoire +13

Posted by: chris from CT on November 17, 2004 06:03 PM

175. So what was Ruth Bennett's thinking in all of this? What a joke. Thanks, Ruth!

Posted by: chunkstyle on November 17, 2004 06:05 PM

176. Regarding more votes in King County: the 450 corrections turned in by the Dems don't appear to be counted yet.

Posted by: X on November 17, 2004 06:05 PM

177. King County has been certified - NO MORE VOTES

Posted by: carolp on November 17, 2004 06:07 PM

178. Just got a live local news report and Benton County is likely certifying within about an hour.

Posted by: Matt on November 17, 2004 06:07 PM

179. King County reported its final numbers earlier today, and the observers present were incorrectly informed at first that the tabulation count for the day was over 3000. Shortly thereafter, the daily count was corrected (if I'm not mistaken, the actual number turned out to be almost 1450 votes).

This is a great web site.

Posted by: Tim B. on November 17, 2004 06:07 PM

180. X, the Gregoire ballots were included in the 1300+ ballots reported earlier today.

Posted by: GRA on November 17, 2004 06:08 PM

181. X - It is almost a foregone conclusion that King County will come up with some more votes. They always have in the past. Why would this race be any different?

Posted by: Marc on November 17, 2004 06:09 PM

182. This just posted on another website(anybody have a way to check this)?

King County just reported to Associated Press there are an additional 1074 ballots to be counted. Secretary of State’s office is being notified. Where will this all end! I smell a rat.

Comment by bruce chalmers— 11/17/04 @ 5:53 pm

Posted by: Ray on November 17, 2004 06:10 PM

183. Now it comes down to the recount. Sorry folks - Rossi's lead isn't enough to withstand the recount.... Gregoire wins.

Posted by: Anon on November 17, 2004 06:10 PM

184. King county is closed and certified. No chance for the dems to pull of anything special in this county. Benton, with 2 to 1 odds for Rossi is all thats left. Even our liberal court system won't allow for more desperate shenanigans...

Posted by: Nathan on November 17, 2004 06:11 PM

185. King county is closed and certified. No chance for the dems to pull of anything special in this county. Benton, with 2 to 1 odds for Rossi is all thats left. Even our liberal court system won't allow for more desperate shenanigans...

Posted by: Nathan on November 17, 2004 06:11 PM

186. Well isn't that just dandy!

King 5 News get state election totals before the people!
Is this state run by King County and King 5 News??

Disgusting!

Posted by: Deborah on November 17, 2004 06:11 PM

187. Certified ... haahhahhahhahh. King County will come up with more votes in the recount, mark my words. Rossie better be up by more than 250 votes in the end if he wants to hang on to this thing.

Posted by: Marc on November 17, 2004 06:11 PM

188. Certified ... haahhahhahhahh. King County will come up with more votes in the recount, mark my words. Rossi better be up by more than 250 votes in the end if he wants to hang on to this thing.

Posted by: Marc on November 17, 2004 06:12 PM

189. Huh Anon? Or all things being equal the the vote could increase his lead or it could stay the same. To presume a recount would favor Gregoire would suggest you think foul play is happening. I don't think anybody has seen specific evidence of that yet have they?

Posted by: Matt on November 17, 2004 06:13 PM

190. Marc - I meant no more KC votes tonight. Recount you're absolutely right! Pray for at least a 151 lead???

Posted by: carolp on November 17, 2004 06:14 PM

191. Rossi NEEDS 61% of 750 Benton county ballots
to avoid a hand recount. (assuming 750 is correct)

That would be 457:Rossi and 293:Gregoire

Rossi would then win by 151 votes (-13 current difference + 164 from Benton County)

Rossi got 69.3% of the ballots already counted in Benton County so 61% seems doable

Posted by: John B on November 17, 2004 06:14 PM

192. Carolp - I hope you are right. Does anybody know if King County uses optical scan, punchcard, or what. If it is optical scan a recount is probably not going to help Gregoire too much. If they have punchcards to work with, that is another story altogether.

Posted by: Marc on November 17, 2004 06:17 PM

193. If anything...recount should reveal additional votes for Rossi. I hope to God we avoid a hand recount. History has proven the corruption that takes place under those circumstances.

Posted by: Nathan on November 17, 2004 06:17 PM

194. Even if Rossi wins by 150+ Gregoire can still request a hand recount right? Does anyone know for sure if,in the case of a recount, previously uncounted ballots can be added? Or will the same ballots be counted again to make sure there wasn't a miscount?

Posted by: Jax on November 17, 2004 06:19 PM

195. Any link for the provisional results in the last county remained?

Posted by: Alex on November 17, 2004 06:19 PM

196. I think Gregoire would have to pay for a hand recount. very costly affair...

Posted by: Nathan on November 17, 2004 06:20 PM

197. I think Gregoire would have to pay for a hand recount. very costly affair...

Posted by: Nathan on November 17, 2004 06:20 PM

198. I voted in King County, and the method was to fill in circles with a pen. I don't know the jargon, but that is optical scan, right?

Posted by: Tim Higgins on November 17, 2004 06:20 PM

199. here's the link to Benton county but
rumor has it from past experience of a commenter above that the results will be posted on state website first before they are posted on Benton county website

http://www.co.benton.wa.us/cgi-bin/wwwquery/election/showresults.qry?RACE=Governor

Posted by: John B on November 17, 2004 06:21 PM

200. Does anyone know if Gregoire can cherry-pick counties to count or does one have to count the entire state if paying for a handcount?

Posted by: spectator on November 17, 2004 06:24 PM

201. Tim - Thanks for the information. Its optical scan which means no dimpled or hanging chads to worry about in a hand recount. It makes gaining votes a lot more difficult. Thanks again.

Posted by: Marc on November 17, 2004 06:25 PM

202. God no! Hey, I'm a Rossi supporter, but the process shouldn't come down to one side cheering a hand recount, the other gaming whether one county uses optical--no matter which it may advantage. That's when it suddenly gets decided in a court and just seems so antithetical to the concept of one-vote-one-person.

If we get down into that even before the last county certifies and state certifies--we've got bigger problems than who becomes governor.

Posted by: Watkins on November 17, 2004 06:25 PM

203. I would think that a hand recount would be better for Rossi. It may reveal more bogus ballots as they are more scrutinized...and the observers may be more involved.

I think the last thing King County wants is a *hand* recount!

Posted by: Deborah on November 17, 2004 06:25 PM

204. Just heard that king 5 news said Rossi by 261, all votes counted

Posted by: Ray on November 17, 2004 06:28 PM

205. King and Benton are playing the waiting game, trying to find out how many votes the other side had left. Both want to be the last to report. I guarantee you King can come up with however many votes are needed. King County is like the South Dakota Indian reservation.

Posted by: David on November 17, 2004 06:30 PM

206. King 5 reports Benton in, Rossi wins by 261 votes.

Posted by: Darren on November 17, 2004 06:30 PM

207. It is an absolute miracle the Washington State Republicans could win an election like this considering how inferior their organization and leadership is. There are so few ground troops...but great people.

Posted by: Mr. Cynical on November 17, 2004 06:31 PM

208. Jax, The Sec of State's website says that:

"A recount is the process where the counties simply re-tabulate all the ballots that were counted in the original count.

In the original count, final determinations are made by the county canvassing boards on what votes will be counted.

The recount does not allow a review of decisions by the county canvassing boards of what constitutes a vote.

Thus, the same ballots counted in the original count will simply be re-tabulated. "

Thus, there should not be hundreds of new uncounted ballots added to the count, even if it is a manual recount. If there are, then someone really screwed up in the first count, or something fishy is going on.

Posted by: Jim on November 17, 2004 06:33 PM

209. 100% of expected vote counted Percentage Total votes
Dino Rossi (R) 48.88% 1,371,414 votes Dino Rossi (R) leads by 261 votes
Chris Gregoire (D) 48.87% 1,371,153 votes
Last updated: 18:24 Nov 17, 2004

Posted by: Erik on November 17, 2004 06:33 PM

210. Congratulations WA from your friends in CT! This was the cherry on the Election 2004 sundae.

Posted by: Chris from CT on November 17, 2004 06:36 PM

211. Congratulations WA from your friends in CT! This was the cherry on the Election 2004 sundae.

Posted by: Chris from CT on November 17, 2004 06:37 PM

212. Watkins - I agree with your sentiments, but lets look at history. King County has made it a habit to come up with enough votes for their guy to win. All I am saying, is that with optical scan ballots there is less "interpretation" of voter intentions than with punchcards and their dimpled and hanging chads. To me, less interpretation of voter intentions by people who have no idea of how a person voted, the better. I wish we could have a single voting system in America, without punchcards. I think that would solve a lot of the problems we have with partisan interpretations of votes.

Posted by: Marc on November 17, 2004 06:37 PM

213. And congrats WA from your friends in OK. At least pre-recount!).

Posted by: jbas on November 17, 2004 06:38 PM

214. Wow. Kuddos to CT! You must have to live vicariously through the rest of that nation...although you do have a Repub. governor if I remember right.

Posted by: B.Huston on November 17, 2004 06:39 PM

215. Yea Dino! Here's to hoping the lead survives the recount!

Posted by: chunkstyle on November 17, 2004 06:39 PM

216. Let the lawsuits begin!

Posted by: Ray on November 17, 2004 06:42 PM

217. Congrats From Texas

Posted by: John B on November 17, 2004 06:42 PM

218. Yes, we do have to live vicariously in CT. We do have a great new governor Jodi Rell (the other resigned...long story). As I told a co-worker, I'm a red man in a blue state.

Posted by: Chris from CT on November 17, 2004 06:43 PM

219. Congrats Stefan, great site. Thanks.

If only Murray had lost it would have been a perfect election, but hey we'll take it. Hopefully this ends with a simple recount and Rossi is in Olympia.

There's going to be a major house cleaning. Bureaucrats, begin squirming now.

Posted by: Jeff B on November 17, 2004 06:44 PM

220. Gives us hope here in the land of Kerry and Kennedy. We do have a great govenor in Rommney.Hope the recount holds.

Posted by: Bob from Ma. on November 17, 2004 06:46 PM

221. WY and NH and OK have Democrap guvs and MA and VT and WA have GOP guvs. I need to stop sniffing glue.

Posted by: Stan in NH on November 17, 2004 06:50 PM

222. I am a bureaucrat in Oly, and the bureacrats have been squirming for some time now. Not all of us think this is a bad thing. Let's hope Rossi really can bring some fiscal control to our state government. It won't be easy.

Posted by: bureaucrat on November 17, 2004 06:59 PM

223. I do too bureaucrat - that's why Rossi got my vote.

I'm just ecstatic! Absolutely overjoyed! Even my grumpy old man can't bully this joy outta me!

There's just nothing but joy in Skagino County!

Public records WILL be public records!

Taxes will be on a leash!

Government will be accountable TO THE PEOPLE!

If that's not enough, I don't know what is!

Posted by: Josef on November 17, 2004 07:04 PM

224. BLESS YOUR HEART STEFAN! Thanks for keeping us all somewhat sane! I hope the conservatives learned from this was the liberals apparently already know. I notice that the only other significant party running was the LIBERTARIANS. Notice NO Green party, etc. We could have all had more sleep if that hadn't been the case.

Posted by: carolp on November 17, 2004 07:04 PM

225. Congratulations to the governor-elect. I am proud to be a Rossi voter from Benton County.

Posted by: Bryan Kidder on November 17, 2004 07:08 PM

226. Yes, thanks Stefan for creating what has become a sort of impromptu community. Props to the PI for linking to you. I had about 6 browser windows open and hit the F5 key like a madman all afternoon and evening. I felt empowered and part of the process!!!!!

Posted by: Watkins on November 17, 2004 07:19 PM

227. Yes!!! Thanks for the great information tonight Stefan and for the great running commentary from everyone else!!!

Posted by: Jason on November 17, 2004 07:21 PM

228. Ditto thanks to the PI article that listed your web site. I too kept your site up all day the last few days (along with the Washington State site) and kept refreshing to see new totals. Excited for Dino, and just pray that his lead holds. I worked hard for the Nethercutt campaign, and George Nethercutt is a decent and honorable man and would have been a great senator from Washington, but he never really was given a chance to debate with Patty. But two out of three ain't bad!

Posted by: Gala on November 17, 2004 07:26 PM

229. On a more serious note, I too want to congratulate the Governor-elect (pending recount). I am proud to be a Dinocrat from Skagit (or is it Skagino) County where I helped Dino out by door-belling and voting and blogging and writing letters to the editor on his behalf. Yes, I wrote the "Brazenly undemocratic" letter to the editor slamming Gregoire for opaque governance. I just hope Governor-elect Rossi (pending recount) realizes that I didn't campaign for him for more of the same. As I told Dave Ross, I wanted Rossi in the name of transparent government above all else.

There are other expectations but my hopes are sky-high. I just want the long nightmare of Gridlocke-Gregoire scandalitis to end. At least Mike Lowry wasn't as bad.

If we can have moral government that'll hold state gov't accountable AND make the appropiate investments in our future where appropiate with tax increases if absolutely necessary - I'll be satisfied.

I wonder what the always pithy, always wordsmithy Marsha Louise Richards has to say for herself...

I also hope we're civil and sweet to our opponents. They put up a good fight and with few exceptions (mainly punks in Gregoire's HQ and Gregoire itself) fought cleanly. My hat's off to them. But I think it's over (pending recount).

Posted by: Josef on November 17, 2004 07:28 PM

230. This site was great. Stefan great work.

75,000 plus voters in WA who voted did not bother to vote for Governor. Race is at 261 votes.

I am 47 and have always voted downballot.

Studies have shown that the young and minorities tend not to vote as they go down the ballot.

Posted by: Ralph on November 17, 2004 07:30 PM

231. HOW SWEET IT IS!!!!! GOD IS ALIVE AND WELL AND WILL BE SMILING DOWN ON GOVERNOR-ELECT DINO ROSSI!! Con Affecto Molto:-)

Posted by: Michael F. on November 17, 2004 07:38 PM

232. So...what happens now? Just read a NYT's article that says "Rossi leading" by 261 votes. Uh, didn't he just "win," pending a reversal by a recount?

Posted by: jbas on November 17, 2004 07:53 PM

233. I voted absentee for Rossi in King County from Montgomery, AL. I've been watching the race over the internet, and my Dad has kept me informed over the phone. (He's been tracking it pretty close, too.)

My husband and I plan to retire in either WA or ID (his family is from ID, mine from WA.) We plan to retire in 2011, or maybe a few years after that. We've conservative, and were thinking ID lately seeing how things were going in WA, but maybe there's hope for my home state!

Posted by: Elizabeth B on November 17, 2004 07:57 PM

234. Congrats Gregoire!

If the recounts proceed like the last election with Cantwell, Gregoire picks up 290 extra and will win by 29. Gregoire is on track to win.

The count at this point has no meaning. One thing for sure is that Dino will not lead by 261 after the recount.

I leave to other bloggers who have done research in this or other states to see which way a recount will likely go.

The big question is can Gregoire order a hand recount only in King County.

Posted by: Erik on November 17, 2004 08:07 PM

235. No sh*# sherlock, it is "for sure that Dino will not lead by 261 after the recount." Brilliant statement. And I wouldn't expect the EXACT same thing to happen as last time with Cantwell. Look at the recount site and see that there have been six recounts, and most did not have that big a swing, so post something worthwhile or go back to bed.

Posted by: Jack on November 17, 2004 08:19 PM

236. RE: Posted by Erik at November 17, 2004 08:07 PM
Yo, Erik Bjornson, Esquire, gotta tell ya I think you want Gregoire to win because you think RMK and Dino will cap your ability to file some more personal injury cases.

BUT, in all due fun and good humor with apologies if not taken that way: Mr. Bjornson, I think I may give you a call at (253) 272-1434 or e-mail you at Ebjornson@msn.com about filing a divorce... between Christine Gregoire and the Washington State Democratic Party.

Why?

Well, new reason 1: Anybody hear of Anne Bremner the Fox News analyst and ardent Gregoire defender? Guess what? "She’s an ardent backer of both Dubya (she donated $2,000 to his campaign at the Hunt’s Point fund-raiser last year) and Gregoire, a Democrat." SOURCE.

Or the fact that Democrats get in an uproar over Cheney hiding documents... while Democrats argue in court to blast holes in public records laws wide enough for a Nimitz-class Carrier to stride through.

Something Dinocrats and Rossi Republicans can joke about, eh??? Especially when I kept telling people that Gregoire was respectfully the Democratic characterization of Bush in a dress...
(I obviously mean this in good fun and apologize if anybody doesn't take it that way.)

Posted by: Josef on November 17, 2004 08:25 PM

237. Hey, check THIS out... Governor Gregoire of who???? What????

Giggles plenty. Ha, ha, ha. Aren't we happy now?

That said, a concerning something to see: The conservative Building Industry Association of Washington uses insurance revenue from municipalities to help finance political activity

Posted by: Josef on November 17, 2004 08:48 PM

238. Washington State - Statewide Election Recount Results:

2000 — United States Senate
Net Change: Democrat Cantwell + 276

2000 — Secretary of State
Net Change: Democrat Bonker +265

1968 — State Attorney General
Net Change: Democrat McCutcheon +604

HMMMMM- I SEE A PATTERN.... Adios Dino! Democrats will never let you be gov.

Posted by: Me on November 17, 2004 09:00 PM

239. Nice Try - the bloggers are on top of it this time. Adios Me.

Posted by: carolp on November 17, 2004 09:07 PM

240. Well, bummer. I'm going to rest my tired legs for next election, see you on the streets.

In the meanwhile, let's please fix the BS with shaky-handed voters. What I saw in person this recent weekend was disappointing. Mail-in votes are great, because older people who can't get around vote. The same people have a harder time writing, and usually need someone like a nurse or staff person to fill in the ovals for them. Then their signature is required, and it might not match the records exactly.

When I submit my tax statements, there are places for the preparer to sign for the preparation work that was done. I think that we need to recognize in this state that we have essentially made a great thing legal -- off-site assisted ballots for the blind, elderly, hospitalized, and otherwise challenged but competent voter. We should keep this part of the system, but also keep a good, legal, track of who is doing the preparation. We all seem to want more transparency, daylight, and accountability in this process.

Rossi has already said it is important to him to speed this process up. That should be the last priority. Making this process fair, equal, accountable, transparent, and otherwise 'right' is what he should do.

Other issues we should fix:
- College students voted provisionally more often than made sense to me -- usually at the poll in their campus town, and not in the county where they had registered. We want to include and encourage new voters, and keep them voting, right?
- Letters from the County Auditor weren't very urgent-sounding, but if returned and received by the 16th, would re-instate a questioned ballot.
- Not enough voters understood who Gregoire is, and her record. (Hey, allow me some room to whine considering the outcome tonight.)

I'm sad to see Rossi's style of 'change' coming to our state. But at this point, I will at least give you that the odds are in his favor.

I would rather see a time-consuming and 2x expensive hand recount. I don't trust the computer systems, either. Again, where is the accountability? I trust the people farther than I could throw those computers.

Posted by: X on November 17, 2004 09:17 PM

241. The F5 key reloads the page?!?!? And I spent the last 3 days right clicking and then reloading!!! I waisted so much time!!!

Congrats, Dino, from a Spokane voter!

Posted by: Brian on November 17, 2004 09:37 PM

242. Excellent final result. When my wife heard the confirmation she said "now I won't have to move to Canada!"

Posted by: Andy MacDonald on November 17, 2004 10:14 PM

243. This is huge. HUGE I tell you! Wonderful! Thrilling! Exciting!

Going into the election I expected an excellent new Attorney General in Rob McKenna, but I honestly didn't know what to expect in this race. After 20 years in the wilderness, as Dino has described it. He will surely shake things up in Olympia.

Some guys over at the Starbucks here in Green Lake were just whining about the results a second ago. But I gotta cut them some slack--I used to be a Democrat, too. They'll learn. In the meantime, we'll have an EXCELLENT GOVERNOR!

CONTRATULATIONS DINO ROSSI!!!

Posted by: Seth Cooper on November 17, 2004 10:15 PM

244. X.

"College students voted provisionally more often than made sense to me -- usually at the poll in their campus town, and not in the county where they had registered. We want to include and encourage new voters, and keep them voting, right?"

Yeah, when they could have gone absentee like this college kid. Crazy.

Posted by: Josef on November 17, 2004 10:16 PM

245. I am in contact with more than 100 college students. They all vote via absentee at their parents home of record. And they vote GOP!

Posted by: Dick Muri on November 17, 2004 11:35 PM

246. I'm now remembering the first time I heard Rossi speak and what impressed me was his first mention of being successful in seeking bipartisan support in fixing the budget. No new taxes.....and don't zap the people who actually need help. Trim the fat in the middle.

Hopefully, he will adopt the same measured approach to Olympia. We do need staff (sometimes called bureacrats) in Olympia to do the work. Leading them to be more productive will be the challenge and I think he'll be good at it. Be prepared for some squawking for Olympia is going to be uncomfortable after 20 years of predictability, but the citizens should stick to the measure of "Does It Make Washington Better?" as a yardstick?

Go Dino! You've got about 3 years to prove yourself.

Posted by: Matt on November 18, 2004 08:11 AM

247. Difference between recounts before, and recounts in 2004 are significant. It will be tough for Democrats to find the votes in King County since they did not use punchcard ballots. It is certainly possible, but more difficult than previous elections where chads, dimples, etc came into play.

Posted by: Marc on November 18, 2004 10:29 AM

248. True Story:

I overheard a Seattle "progressive" in the elevator:

"Those stupid bible-thumping farmers just don't understand what we're trying to do for them"

Actually, they understand perfectly...

Posted by: Bob on November 19, 2004 09:43 AM

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