Here's another fascinating discovery from the latest King County voter file.
[I now have four versions of the King County voter registration file, cut on June 1, Nov. 1, Dec. 29, 2004 and Jan. 7, 2005.]
There are 557 names in the Jan. 7 file for people who supposedly voted on Nov. 2, but who weren't listed in the Nov. 1 file. Only 94 of the 557 are in the Dec. 29 file. There are a number of pre-2004 registration dates among the 557, but many of these aren't in the June file. 280 of the 557 are shown to have registered on dates between Jun 7, 2004 and Oct. 2, 2004, yet did not appear in any of the earlier versions of the King County voter databases.
Oddly enough!
Here is another weird example
Julianne B. is listed in the Jan 7 file as living in Auburn and having first registered to vote in King County in 1962. She does not appear in any of the three prior voter files that I have. Property records show that she used to live at the Auburn address listed in her brand new registration record, but that she and her husband sold the place in 2000 and bought a home in Pierce County the same year. Julianne B. is shown to have cast an absentee ballot in King County this year.
I'm sure there's a very good explanation for all of this.
UPDATE: Based on some of the questions and issues raised in the comments, I should clarify: When I say that one these 557 new voters was missing from a previous file, I mean there was NO registration record of any kind for that person in that file. The June 1 file seems to include only "Active" voters, but the Nov. 1 and Dec. 29 files appear to include all "Active" AND "Inactive" voters. [But I guess they exclude "Ghost" and "Magical Mystery" voters ]
UPDATE 2 Incidentally, the latest data file contains the names of only 897,107 people who voted in November. To reconcile with the 899,199 ballots that were counted requires 2,092 more names.
Based on what King County announced yesterday, 320 of these are Address Confidentiality Program Voters and federal absentee ballots (many military) and 348 unverified provisionals. That still leaves a gap of 1,424. KC says they accounted for all but 1,217. That leaves an unexplained discrepancy of 207. The only way the can get there, I think, is for the county to know about 207 additional undisclosed magical mystery voters similar to the above 557, who weren't listed in the registeration rolls as of Nov. 1
Posted by Stefan Sharkansky at January 08, 2005 01:40 AM | Email ThisSo think of theoretical mathematics. Is the universe of King County voters finite, countably infinite, or uncountably infinite? How about a new theoretical concept -- uncountably finite?
Posted by: Richard Pope on January 8, 2005 02:10 AMNow. If I may suggest, before the next election cycle, you consult with the election officials in Larimer County (CO) on their voting system. Worked wonders. And eliminated the antics you now face and suffer hands down.
Posted by: James C. Hess on January 8, 2005 05:07 AMOne of the differences between Republicans and Democrats is facts, we Republicans value facts and seek out the facts, while the Democrats do not, and they try to hide the facts.
Posted by: Peter Rice on January 8, 2005 05:27 AMI can't imagine how Paul Berendt and Dean Logan will try to explain this away. My advice to them would be contact a good lawyer and bail bondsman. Paul Berendt has proven he can be as unscrupulous as anyone but, he has blown his chance to move up to the A-team with Carville and Ickes. They place a lot of value on being able to cover your tracks.
Posted by: Baynative on January 8, 2005 05:39 AMTo answer your question, it's actually defined by the square root of a negative number...
you know, an "imaginary" number.
Posted by: Kris on January 8, 2005 05:48 AMAnother thought..... Why dont they charge 2$ a ballot for all that want to vote in the recount. This would more than pay for the revote and would satisfy everyone's needs. The democrats would have to buy all of those homeless people's ballots along with cigarattes, booze, etc.. I realize elections "are suppose to be free"- but we are moving into new terratory here-courts and legislature can rule something in.
Posted by: mary on January 8, 2005 06:19 AMThis site is a desperately needed counterbalance to a biased media that seems to have no interest in finding answers to valid and legimate questions regarding the administration of the election in King County.
In Canada (led by the government-owned Canadian Broadcasting Corporation), the media consistently fails to hold the governing Liberal Party to account. We need more bloggers in Canada like you. Keep up the good work on this site.
P.S. Should Gregoire be 'installed' as governor next week, does the State of Washington have any provisions, and if so, are there any efforts underway to mount a recall campaign against her?
Posted by: Canadian Conservative on January 8, 2005 07:04 AMAt the very least, rest assured you will never gain access to another voter file once the Dems in the legislature change that law.
Posted by: Molon Labe on January 8, 2005 07:43 AMPosted by Stefan Sharkansky..."
Of course there is a very good explanation for all this and an accurate one too. Here it is; the Democrats are stealing this election! Gregoire is the stuff of fantasy for 99.99% of democrats.
She is on track to pull off what AlGore was unable to do in 2000, what John Heinz-Kerry seriously contemplated the night of the election last November.
Watch out America, Gregoire is on the fast track to be the Dem party nominee in '08. She is proving her ability to fraudulently abscond with power.
I am in the mountains of NC now but used to live in your neighboring state to the south, Oregon. I still follow regional politics out there, and this is just appalling.
I was in OR when the GOP threw off 40 years of Dem party political tyranny in the US house and senate, and I will never forget the wailing and gnashing of teeth from the original "Gore-Loser" Joleen Unsoeld (Sp?) in Vancouver WA.
She lacked the cojones to protest her defeat in order to change the outcome. She wailed and moaned about how the "baser instincts of the people were being displayed" or some such nonsense. She was representative of how out of touch the dems are, and now they are refining their model for desperately clawing to the last bits of power they retain. Litigate it until they achieve the desired outcome. This model has been very successful for them in the legislative arena. When they cannot get some offensive measure or program passed thru a legislative body they litigate the policy into place. Call it "Policy-Litigation"
The rest of the nation is watching. Just the other night on FOX News' Brit Hume show, Mara Liasson of NPR could barely contain her glee at the prospect of Gregoire getting-away-with-stealing-the-election, which is distintly different from trying-to-steal-the-election which we have seen before.
Godspeed Washington and we'll keep you in our thoughts and prayers. -Spin
Posted by: SpinDaddy on January 8, 2005 08:01 AMDo you have the voting history for any that you've identified?
This was "the most important election of our lives," so it might have brought out people who ignored quite a few elections. But, the longer they've been gone, the fishier it gets.
Posted by: Micajah on January 8, 2005 08:02 AMBy that definition tossing the Gregoire win is a done deal. There are enough felons, excess votes, dead voters, provisionals, immproperly enhanced ballots that add up to much more than 129 votes.
I was just reading through the RCW and my take is that a judge could toss the 3rd count and re-instate the 2nd count. However the Rossi contest is seeking as the ONLY remedy a re-vote.
The unkown is the WA supremes, they have already nullified the RCW on re-canvassing so who know what the would do.
Posted by: John Mount on January 8, 2005 08:07 AM Thank you for contacting me to express your thoughts regarding
the recent election for governor. I certainly understand your concerns.
I'm certain most citizens -- regardless of whom they supported in the
race --- have been shocked and very disturbed by all that's transpired
in the tumultuous canvassing and counting of ballots. I am confident
that the Legislature will be addressing serious election reform during
the 2005 legislative session.
As you likely know, Dino Rossi and the state Republican Party
have filed suit in Chelan County, requesting that a revote take place.
They have not alleged fraud nor are they trying to block the swearing in
of Christine Gregoire as Governor. As the matter is now before the
court and as even the Republican county auditors around the state as
well as Republican Secretary of State Sam Reed believe the election was
conducted fairly while acknowledging changes need to be made, I do not
believe it would be prudent to vote against Ms. Gregoire's certification
or swearing-in, I will be voting affirmatively for these. If the state
Supreme Court were to uphold a superior court determination that there
should be a revote, then of course I will support that decision.
Thank you for sharing your views and please do not hesitate to
contact me if I may be of further assistance.
Jeanne
Jeanne Kohl-Welles
State Senator
36th Legislative District
Erik: Is Jeanne Kohl-Welles an R or a D?
Posted by: Scott in Carnation on January 8, 2005 08:28 AMIt reminds me of a great quote from John Adams:
Facts are stubborn things; and whatever may be our wishes, our inclinations, or the dictates of our passion, they cannot alter the state of facts and evidence.
Of course, that was before moral relativism became popular and there was a respect for truth and for God.
Posted by: Elizabeth B on January 8, 2005 08:43 AMIf you have a lot of people out and about who take Alinsky's advice seriously, they don't need much of a conspiracy to do voter fraud. All they need is the opportunity. Our canvassing process seems to have given them that.
Posted by: Boonie on January 8, 2005 09:07 AMSecond, I'm thrilled at the progress, Rossi's announcement, the facts finally being tossed around in the MSM, etc, but as I just discussed with my brother, the battle has just begun.
We gotta take this fight to the streets. The rally, contacting representatives, holding banners and orange ribbons, all the rest. It is time for EVERYONE, not just the amazing people at Sound Politics to get involved. Christine Gregoire has had WAY too long to build alliances in the state power structure and she's not afraid to use them!
H2
Posted by: HollyToo on January 8, 2005 09:10 AM"They [Rossie and WRP] have not alleged fraud..."
Once again, the misuse of the term "fraud" to suggest that since fraud is not alleged, nothing illegal has occurred...the D's are all reading from the same playbook, obviously.
Posted by: Patrick on January 8, 2005 09:19 AMThe beloved blogger here referred to Governor-Elect Gregoire as "Fraudraire" consistently.
And the posters cranked up the PR machine alleging cheating/stealing/fraud from almost day one.
To go through all of the data that was brought forward through efforts here and throughout the Republican party -- and to conclude there isn't fraud (as leadership finally admitted by not suing on that claim) -- suggests that the PR machine that the Republicans use is designed to sway opinion in the absence of confirmed fact.
"Facts" of fraud were put forth almost non-endingly in this effort. In the end this process does an incredible disservice to the people of Washington state...the voters and to our democracy. Shameful to post conclusions, based on inaccurate data. In the end, this hurts the republicans a lot too...as people will lose confidence with the blather pouring from Vance and the party.
I trust the Washington State people much more than the bloggers who manipulate opinion using fictional assertions presented as fact.
Given all this, I truly hope the majority of Republicans realize that they've been hoodwinked -- and hopefully they'll pressure the blatherers to reduce their unproductive, destrutive pronouncements.
Posted by: Scared for USA on January 8, 2005 09:46 AMPosted by Scott in Carnation at January 8, 2005 08:28 AM
There's an easy way to tell...Ds want a clean election NEXT TIME.
Posted by: South County on January 8, 2005 09:59 AMYou complain about conclusions based on "inaccurate data." This is most wonderfully damning. Where do you think this data comes from? King County officials!!!
Keep it coming!
Incidentally, why does the idea of a law-following, legally conducted election scare you? Please tell us!
Posted by: Bsstonian on January 8, 2005 10:03 AMHowever, to quote Rossi, let's not "change the rules" ...let's fix the system for next time. Rossi, himself, voted for the recount system that was used, as allowed by law, to register his own defeat. If Rossi were ahead by 100+ votes at this point, and the Dems filed the exact same suit the Republicans filed, I think you'd be agreeing with me.
What's right is right. Rossi lost. Time to fix the future and move on.
By the way....all elections would have to be thrown out if the suit wins, I think. An illegitimate election is illegitimate regardless of victory margin -- so if we do any revote, it should be for the entire slate of all races.
I'd be interested in McKenna's view on this, as AG-elect. The law is the law....
Posted by: Scared for USA on January 8, 2005 10:16 AMThe Democrats always called for the process to be completed -- including a full state hand reount (as provided by Rossi-supported law). The process is finished. The Republicans want to change the rules on the process (drop one of the three allowed-by-Rossi-law recounts) or re do the whole thing.
Or course, it's the only way Rossi can take the oath. Since that's the ultimate objective, we'll continue to hear the blather....
Posted by: Scared for USA on January 8, 2005 10:20 AMNext, Scared for USA makes lots of charges, but gives zero facts to back up those charges. I´d like him (or her) to give us some specific ways the charges made about the Washington election are false.
Posted by: mallory on January 8, 2005 10:20 AM"Is it just me, or does anyone else find it amazing that our government can track a cow born in Canada almost three years ago, right to the stall where she sleeps in the state of Washington. And they tracked her calves to their stalls."
Maybe every registered voter shoud get a cow. Of course those voters in E King County will have no place to keep their cows since the state is taking away much of their land.
Do you not see a pattern regarding Democrats losing elections?? Can you deny this with any seriousness?
The Democratic party has rightly become the party of the Gore-Loser. What of the nonsense in the Us House and Senate this past week regarding the certification of President Bush's re-election?
-Spin
Your magisterial indifference to the past indicates that you must be a P-I reporter.
If Rossi 'lost', it was on the basis of ballots counted. But your hanging around SoundPolitics indicates that you've seen direct evidence that thousands of those ballots had no business being counted. So how in hell can you say he 'lost'? Selective memory? Shouting the party line?
Whether or not the P-I has no interest in finding and reporting on facts about election board malfeasance, those facts have been exposed. Deal with them.
And the Legislature needn't grind out volumes of additional bullshit. All King County has to do is follow the existing statutes and rules. And identify and prosecute the officials who didn't insist on their being followed.
Posted by: Insufficiently Sensitive on January 8, 2005 10:43 AMYou are a parody of the Gregoire supporters. Or maybe not - perhaps I should say you are an accurate representation of them.
I hope you continue to post here so we can better see into the gaping black hole of depravity that you have come to be identified with.
Posted by: Shaun on January 8, 2005 10:52 AMI am still appalled that obvious democrat county workers here were seen doing things like feed the same Gregoire ballot through the machine five times, got fired for cheating at the handcounts (tho not all who demonstrated a willingness to cheat got fired, according to witnesses), marked ballots. I heard they knocked the little blob of whiteout off one of those marked ballots and it was an overvote and they 'chose' Gregoireovich. How convenient.
What can you expect from election workers seen wearing gloves with "Go dems" scrawled on them??? Do you think the Ds would have stood for THAT in a republican county??Are you kidding?
I'll say it again and again, there is a clear pattern emerging re:Dems losing elections. It is an adaptation of the method they use to cram all sorts of other nonsense down our throats when they can't prevail legislatively.
That is to litigate the issue until the outcome of their choice is handed down by some sympathetic judge, then declare victory and leave the field. -Spin
Posted by: SpinDaddy on January 8, 2005 11:02 AMIs it possible that King County keeps a separate file of voters to whom absentee ballots are sent?
If Juilanne B. did not appear in any of the voter registration files prior to the election, then how could she have received an absentee ballot to vote?
Justify your claims in a legitimate fashion. Simply crying rhetoric (i.e. "you're using inaccurate data," et al) does not qualify.
Thank you Stefan. Through rigor, care, and your unwillingness to back off of a fradulent election, you are showing yourself to be more of a patriot than a lot of states-born folk. Keep it up.
Posted by: Kristan on January 8, 2005 11:11 AMLucceeeeeee, we're home and we have your head. Can we hammer it back on using railroad spikes? Crawl back to your whine and cheese website. It is folks like you that set us up nicely for 2006 and 2008 and beyond. Keep on spouting.....
Re-vote.
Posted by: niceville on January 8, 2005 11:14 AMFace it, you got caught cheating. Sucks to be you.
Posted by: Bostonian on January 8, 2005 11:24 AMYou are obviously carrying around a lot of internal anger and hostility. Maybe a long visit to www.selfhelp.org would help...
When you're ready, come back and re-join the human race.
Posted by: Ken on January 8, 2005 11:27 AMvoter_id status name_last name_first name_middle
40295801 A BREALAN GERRY Y
990609534 P BREALIN GERALD Y
970349715 A COOK KIMBERLY A
990594687 A COOK KIMBERLY ANN
40219706 I DAVIS JOSEPH P
40284613 A DAVIS JOSEPH P
990597867 P GILCHRIST LORENZO D
40144455 I GILDRIEST LORENZO
30175654 I HENDERSON JAMES K
10090334 I HENDRICKSON JAMES M
30513371 A HURT LABART
40328297 I HURT CABART
990689898 A KAHSAI MESFIN
990642323 A KAHSAL MESFIN
40199080 I MALONEY COLT
40296701 I MALONEY COLT
960407997 I MATTINGLY JAMES C
990290504 I MATTINGLY JAMES C
10370451 I MCCARTHY MATTHEW J
10325072 A MCCARTY MATTHEW J
990611639 A NAFEES DIETER N
990598479 P NAFFEES DIETER N
990603141 P RODRIGUEZ IVAN L
990688665 A RODRIQUEZ IVAN L
479870 I SALAZAR JOSEPH A
990618875 P SALAZAR JOSEPH A
20425024 I SHIELS JONI W
990587103 A SHIELS JONI W
990621297 I SHULT RICHARD L
990648675 A SHUTT RICHARD L
40322221 I SMITH DAVID
990632622 A SMITH DAVID L
990136220 A VOLCHOK NEKHAMA
10060745 A VOLCHOK NEKHAMA
It is not good for one party to have a monopoly anywhere and Government works best when there is a balance of power. I hope for the sake of their party and the country that they get rid of the dishonorable hacks like Berendt, Brost and bring in some people with some semblance of integrity - good luck with that ! There are some good Democrats in this state, such as Adam Smith, Tim Sheldon and quite possibly Ms. Kohl-Welles, Representative from the 36th District. At least the Republican side has some leadership that listens to the people and shoots for fairness, although they could have been more assertive vs. the State Democrat machine during the earlier stages of the recount. So, all of this talk about dangerous precedent with this election contesting is bull-hunky and shows your ignorance or intellectual dishonesty...
Egos run rampant on both sides in political circles and I wouldn't blame CG if she were to mysteriously disappear on an extended vacation with her husband beginning Monday and return in about 3 weeks. It may give her a better political future, because right now - at best, she is a one-term (if that) illegitimate governor. If she would be behaved differently and shown some class and humility, she would be feeling better about the future; win or lose.
Posted by: KS on January 8, 2005 11:42 AMIs ommitting the word "fact" an error?
Posted by: Joe on January 8, 2005 11:49 AMWell Okay. . . we're waiting. -Spin
Posted by: SpinDaddy on January 8, 2005 11:52 AMAre they?
Posted by: Scott in Carnation on January 8, 2005 11:54 AMYou are a depraved individual for wishing that another human being become injured or disabled.
Go back you your own blog. I left some presents for you there.
Posted by: Anon on January 8, 2005 12:04 PMThe double registrations are clearly established, through good work by a concerned individual, appropriately named Angry Voter.
Looks like your preferred response is sneering at the concern. How's about you recycle the energy squandered on sneering, and invest it more usefully in the next step in the process?
Look at the list of people who voted, and see how many of those doubly-registered individuals voted double. You may report back with your results to this website, where there's intense interest in such facts. Be a lauded hero like Moses with his scrolls. The world waits...
Posted by: Insufficiently Sensitive on January 8, 2005 12:18 PMAnother triumph of wishful thinking. As in wishing that the sumptuous harvest of doubled, felonious, post-mortem and voterless ballots should be welcomed in a COUNT EVERY VOTE festival.
Posted by: Insufficiently Sensitive on January 8, 2005 12:23 PMFACT: Hundreds of ballots cast were illegal. At the very least 3X the amount of Gregoire's victory.
FACT: The error margin is far greater then margin of victory. In fact it is nearly 10X more in King County the County that swung to give your candidate victory.
FACT: Fraud DID occur. When a ballot is voted on behalf of the dead it is FRAUD. When someone double votes it is FRAUD. When a prisoner or felon votes when there right to vote has been revoked it is FRAUD.
Did your candidate win the 3rd count of ballots? YES. Looking at the facts of that count is she a legitimate winner? NO. She can have her 1-2 month in office but there will be a revote based on the FACTS.
"I would taunt you in your "Rascal" as you shop pathetically at Safeway."
Well, at least that was funny.
BTW, don't trip while holding your Queen's train on the Capital steps. She'll sue you for emotional damages.
You have the audacity to lecture me, when HL wished physical harm on another human being? I suppose that is civility? Whatever. I'm as nice as the next guy, but I heap profanity on those who wish harm on others. HL took the postings with more charm that you did, which is surprising.
Posted by: Anon on January 8, 2005 12:43 PMMel, you may be absolutely right.
But the countless inanities coming from her just crack me up. I don't think anyone is taking her, and her other personalities seriously. She is playing the court jester, and loving all the attention.
Meanwhile, she is taking up lots of our time. I think that distracting the "enemy" with ludicrous statements is part of her plan, probably borrowed from Chairman Mao's little red book that I am sure she faithfully reads.
Posted by: JG on January 8, 2005 12:55 PMThat is exactly what the PI should print but will not and that speaks volumes about what side that rag is on.
King Ron Sims County has obviously had enough time to clean up the regitration records, look what the shark did in a few weeks. Logan has been there how long? 8 hours a day 5 days a week?
I just don't buy it.
The Legistlators taking a pro-gregoire attitude and dismissing this evidence is a risk they are willing to take, why? They really do not see the implosion of their party and majority ahead? This is getting better by the minute. I'm on the edge of my seat.
Right now she looks like the unreasonable, stubborn "I won 3rd dammit" end of story, tyrant.
Governor Rossi looks like the level headed, lets have a discussion diplomat.
REVOTE for ROSSI
Finally a loony lib that ADMITS the truth we have all known. This could be a first!
Posted by: Cheryl on January 8, 2005 01:02 PMBostonian: Caught Cheating? I think if that were true Rossi and gang would have gladly used it and provided evidence. Instead he (and they) all said they are not suggesting fraud. See original post above to see why. You have been taken in hook, line and sinker by the powerful Republican PR machine alleging fraud and refuse to let facts get in the way. Easy to repudiate your venom-spouting nonsense.
Kristan: I have no idea why saying the Republicans would have sued over fraud if they had found fraud is not legitimate.
KS: You said "It is not good for one party to have a monopoly anywhere and Government works best when there is a balance of power." Will you say here, publicly, that you think it's a bad thing the US President and US Senate and US House are all run by Republicans?
KS: You also say the Republicans shoot for fairness. Not sure what is fair about choosing to stop a process, endorsed and supported by Republicans, when it doesn't turn out the way he wants. Such arguments were exactly the Republican -led arguments when asking CG to concede after the first recount! But the obvious partisan nature of the republicans doing whatever they can to prevent losing an election that they lost is disconcerting. Yes, the dems are equally partisan...but at least the followed the law (again the one Rossi voted for) to its fullest. When chided in advance for only seeking recounts in dem-leading counties, they showed themselves to be completely fair by doing it state wide.
I don't thnk CG acted great. And I don't think Rossi acted great. Neither are stellar candidates. But only one won the election with the existing rules (remember, that was the Republican argument after the first recount).
IS: I have seen evidence that there are the same problems in this election as in elections past. ALl I say is people should follow the rules that exist (again, voted on and supported by Rossi and other republicans) and fix problems for future elections. Otherwise, you are just changing the rules when it works for you--and leaving them when it doesn't. That would make a revote totally illegitimate. But if Rossi wins such a vote, I'm sure all the folks here would claim that was a fine and dandy result.
The hypocrisy in the Republican Party is beyond belief -- almost each and every thing leaders (and Rossi) said while he was ahead in the counting is 180 degrees oppposite of everything they have said after he got behind. The same election, the same process, the same law, the same people -- but the result forces total flip flops.
If Rossi were ahead by 100 votes and the Dems did exactly what the Reps are doing now...your collective venom would be equal to your previous (now disproven by your own party) claims of cheating and stealing.
Posted by: Scared for USA on January 8, 2005 01:08 PMNote: I don't believe that they have their facts correct concerning the 700 ballots that were disallowed. If they were disallowed then, they were let back in for ensuing recounts. Also, the 10,000 ballots where many of them were provisional ballots - illegally run through the voting machines without being verified. The illegal provisional ballots that were counted trumps the purported 700 ballots. Read on....
Voting postmortem in Washington
Dino Rossi and his supporters have a right to go to court, but it's hard to see the governor's election being voided
Saturday, January 08, 2005
S ixteen days ago, in commenting on Washington state's tight governor's race, we cautiously opined that it looked like time for Dino Rossi to concede -- barring any convincing evidence of election fraud or procedural error.
Today, amid widespread claims of procedural error, it appears caution was warranted. Rossi and his Washington State Republican Party said Friday they will take one more shot by exercising their right to challenge the vote results on legal grounds.
Next it will be up to the state Supreme Court to decide whether the election will stand or be voided and done over again.
Democrat Christine Gregoire was certified as governor-elect on Dec. 30, winning by a scant 129 votes in a second recount by hand. But since then Rossi and his backers have raised a ruckus about alleged irregularities in the election, and their outcry received a boost Friday from reports in Seattle's two daily newspapers.
The Seattle Times said it found 24 examples of people being credited with voting in the November election even though they had died before absentee ballots were mailed.
The cases were spread among six of the state's largest counties. The Seattle Post-Intelligencer said it found eight such examples in populous King County, home of Seattle.
The news reports follow two weeks of Republican claims of other problems, such as county voting totals exceeding the number of registered voters. Rossi supporters also allege that hundreds of provisional ballots may have been counted on Election Day without being verified.
A GOP radio ad this week complained that some overseas military voters didn't receive their ballots in time. A building industry group claims it documented 50 felons who voted in Pierce County without having their voting rights properly restored.
None of this, if true, smells like fraud. What it suggests is that in any large election such as this one, with nearly 3 million votes cast, errors are inevitable, and they're glaringly magnified when the tally is so excruciatingly close.
Here's what hurts Rossi's chances in court: So far, the largest verified error in this election favored him. More than 700 King County ballots, most of them for Gregoire, were wrongly disqualified in the initial count.
And at this point there's no way of knowing which candidate was more seriously harmed by the irregularities alleged by the GOP.
It may be a stretch to think the state Supreme Court will void the election. In fact, the judges will wait until Jan. 22, the deadline for filing challenges, before deciding what to do with them. By then, Christine Gregoire will already have been sworn in as governor.
Yes, it's a mess, and it doesn't favor Dino Rossi. Perhaps he can take comfort, though, in something the Seattle papers reported. Both quoted an elderly gentleman who admitted following his dying wife's wishes. She died on Sept. 29, and the faithful husband cast her vote for . . . Rossi.
Gregoire's winning margin just jumped from 129 to 130.
Posted by: KS on January 8, 2005 01:40 PMNow, if the State Supreme Court does not see this case as compelling and in need of a revote, it will be appealed to a higher Federal Court. Hopefully, the "Supremes" will handle this case better than the Florida Supreme Court responded during the 2000 Presidential Election, act responsibly and objectively and not be Democrat-biased (because their gal came out ahead)- Baloney ! The jury is out as to whether there are too many activist judges that pollute the State Supreme Court. First off, Judge Bridge needs to recuse herself because her spouse was heavily involved with CG's campaign - if she doesn't, shame on her !
The end result of this process can only be an improvement in the Elections system and hopefully justice for the people - REVOTE !
Posted by: KS on January 8, 2005 01:59 PMTo claim that 50 (actually more then 50) felons who voted in the Nov. election is not fraud is SPIN SPIN SPIN... Voting when you don't have the right to vote is Fraud. It isn't a conspiracy but it is FRAUD.
Also yes, the Seattle papers chose to focus on the cases were the dead votes went in favor of Rossi. The point they miss is by King County and other counties not deleteing the dead from the rolls the door is wide open for fraud. A door that people chose to walk through. And it is King County's responsibilty to safeguard against fraud.
Posted by: Joe on January 8, 2005 01:59 PMIn these parts, (Clark County), it's known as the "Daily, Dead-Fish Wrapper".
'nuf said!
Posted by: Susu on January 8, 2005 02:13 PM
"The Democrats did feel that Bush stole Florida."
Their feelings matter not a wit, but again you are evading the question.
The question concerns the pattern of behavior. It goes like this: Democratic candidate loses election.
Democratic candidate cries foul and brings suit.
Litigates until desired result is achieved, decalres victory and leaves the field to be sworn and certified.
Sound familiar??
Perhaps after a few more obviously stolen elections (or attempts to steal elections) this pattern I describe will finally become apparent to you.
Meanwhile our Republic suffers for your parties craven lust for power.
Shenanigans my ass -Spin
Posted by: SpinDaddy on January 8, 2005 02:49 PMYour argument is not legtimate because it relies on the fallacies of inference and reasoning from silence. Getting into the factual allegations Rossi's team is making aside, your argument merely "sounds feisty." It has no legal basis and does not compel anyone other than the angry Michael-Moore strand of Democrat.
Follow?
Posted by: Kristan on January 8, 2005 03:06 PMBut your point almost certainly applies to votes from felons and dead people. They were never challenged before certification, so they must count.
Posted by: torridjoe on January 8, 2005 03:32 PMYou said -
"I have seen evidence that there are the same problems in this election as in elections past. ALl I say is people should follow the rules that exist (again, voted on and supported by Rossi and other republicans) and fix problems for future elections. Otherwise, you are just changing the rules when it works for you--and leaving them when it doesn't."
When Rossi's camp signed off on the rules for the recount, they were taking into account the rules for handling and counting the ballots that were already in place prior to the third hand re-count. It was during the third count that the Democrat-leaning King County Elections Board changed the rules to allow them to add in new ballots that were found nine differnt times that were never previously counted and of dubious origin. It is also clear from first hand witness accounts that the rules for what votes would be reviewed by the canvass board were also changed halfway through the count, after most every other county had certified their results.
Rossi isn't trying to change the rules now. He is trying to nullify the bad results of a third count during which the Democrat supporters in King County changed the rules to help their candidate.
If the rules had been followed and unchanged, Rossi likely would have won the third count as well. He's trying to make sure we have an election in which the rules are unchanged and followed from start to finish, which did not happen in this first election.
Posted by: JRR on January 8, 2005 03:47 PMConsider the facts: A “challenge” of the voter's eligibility to vote was actually made at the polling place as required by law, when the election worker found that the voter’s name wasn’t listed among those who were eligible to vote. However, because of the unlawful act of the voter, and apparently also because of the failure of the election worker to do his duty, the provisional ballot was put in with the valid ballots – from where it could not be retrieved, because the ballots all look alike.
The statute that defines the standards for a contested election says “illegal votes” aren’t limited to those cast by felons who are disqualified from voting and those cast by people who voted more than once. Those are simply the two examples given which are by definition “illegal votes.”
I would expect anyone tasked with deciding whether the unlawfully cast provisional ballots were “illegal votes” to rule that they were.
As stated above: "Perhaps the most glaring error that I see is the uncontrolled addition of the "350" provisional ballots in King county. In college or High school, when an instructor has 2 classes of the same subject at different times, the tests are printed in two colors. This is to make it easy for the instructor to determine (canvass the tests) which class the test belongs to. This also prevents cheating between classes. The simplist, easiest and may I say most logical fix for the Provisional process is to print the provisional ballot in another color! Any provisional sent into the Accuvote would be rejected by the machine, or failing that, would stand out like a pimple on prom night. Since a 'provisional voter' must ask for a 'provisional ballot' color it purple. As is clear by the "350", to fail to fix this problem, invites fraud."
We need the Oregonian Fish wrapper to join thye P-I and Times. I'be worked on a fish dock andd this election stinks worde than a 3 week old mackerel. Wrap it up and deep six it.
Posted by: BrianS on January 8, 2005 07:32 PMheedless (sic) lucy likes her lifestyle. No knowing what her "smoking, searing loins" will do next, but I hope (PRAY!) I don't see it...
Posted by: smegma on January 8, 2005 07:49 PMHowever, some of those appointed judges may understand something about math...I cross my fingers...but I don't hold my breath.
Posted by: smegma on January 8, 2005 09:42 PMDon't worry about it...Headless is as headless does...
Posted by: smegma on January 8, 2005 11:19 PM