November 02, 2010
The Shark's Election Predictions Contest! (Now Closed)

Questions were:

1. Washington U.S. Senate: Rossi or Murray?

2. Winners of WA House seats now held by Inslee, Larsen, Baird, Dicks, Reichert, Smith?

3. Composition of U.S. Senate R vs. D? (count Sanders and Lieberman as Democrats)

4. Composition of U.S. House R vs. D?

5. Pass/fail outcome on statewide ballot initiatives 1053, 1082, 1098, 1100, 1105, 1107?

6. Point spread on I-1100?

If I-1100 passes, winner gets a bottle of something from commercial liquor retailer on first day of commercial liquor sales (should be June 1, 2011, barring legal delays). If I-1100 fails, I'll buy the winner something else of comparable value, TBD.

The contest is now closed. I got 25 entries. Thanks to everyone who entered. It'll probably be several days if not a few weeks until all races are decided. In the meantime, I have to devise a scoring system...

Posted by Stefan Sharkansky at November 02, 2010 03:00 PM | Email This
Comments
1. Stefan: I just emailed my picks. I'm looking forward to receiving a privately sold bottle of liquor.

Posted by: Mike (thelastasylum.com) on November 1, 2010 10:43 PM
2. I'm wondering if anyone knows what Canada's immigration conditions are. As an good old fart, I probably don't have "skills" they want. They'll clearly note that I'm fleeing a failed country, looking for decent health reform.

Posted by: Bob McCarthy on November 1, 2010 11:52 PM
3. My mother was canadian born, and hence I have applied for citizen by decent from Canada. They will grant this to one generation down stream from a Canadian parent. You actually have the citizenship from your birth, and you just have to certify it, not apply for it. So I will get dual citizenship by year end aproximately.

Posted by: gs on November 2, 2010 12:18 AM
4. "1. Washington U.S. Senate: Rossi or Murray?"

Is there a bonus for correctly picking the number of recounts it takes for the King County democrats to manufacture the right amount of votes for patti to win?

Posted by: arby on November 2, 2010 06:11 AM
5. Stefan, where can we sign up to be observers if/when the Rossi/Murray race is recounted?

Posted by: Obama's Teleprompter on November 2, 2010 07:04 AM
6. Good ? .All I can hope is that the lack of enthusiasm index for the d's remain low for now even with absetee voters.However, King County has this nasty habit of having felons, the dearly departed and other double counted votes. Ouch!

Posted by: Laurie on November 2, 2010 07:07 AM
7. Obama's Teleprompter - King County GOP will be scheduling observers in case of a recount. Contact your district chair or Lori Sotelo to let them know you will volunteer - see http://www.kcgop.org/sitemax/AboutUs/KCGOPTeam/tabid/61/Default.aspx for contact info.

Thanks for volunteering! I hope Rossi will win by a large enough margin to avoid a recount, but reality is that a recount is likely.

Posted by: Belle on November 2, 2010 08:22 AM
8. agree with earlier comment- + add

Number of ballots King County will "find" during the recount

Number of legal voters in conservative districts KC will disenfranchise.

Date/time they will announce they screwed up the military and overseas ballots disenfranchising our fighting men and women.

Posted by: Andy on November 2, 2010 08:52 AM
9. @2,3

Promises promises. I remember hearing liberals tell us all how they would leave and move to Canada after Bush won. See ya! Don't let the door hit ya where the good lord split ya.

Posted by: ByeByeLIberals on November 2, 2010 09:28 AM
10. Sorry, but Canada is not a place to go if one wants to escape socialism.

I'm afraid this is our last stand...

Posted by: Right Wing Wacko on November 2, 2010 10:14 AM
11. Sorry, but Canada is not a place to go if one wants to escape socialism.

I'm afraid this is our last stand...

Posted by: Right Wing Wacko on November 2, 2010 10:15 AM
12. INITIATIVE 1069

Didn't run it and hopefully after today, we won't neeed it.

To protest tax increases, we are intent on maintaining pressure by getting Initiative 1069 on the ballot to show the level of voter dissatisfaction with the current tax and spend policies. This is one of many reasons for our filing Initiative 1069 to change the Seal of the State of Washington to a Tapeworm Dressed in a three piece suit attached to the lower intestine of the taxpayer with the words "Committed to sucking the life blood out of each and every tax payer."

Posted by: James on November 2, 2010 10:27 AM
13. James @ 12:

I don't know about the tapeworm but, like with King County where history was rewritten with an MLK Jr. logo, I'm sure it won't be long until the state logo is changed to a silhouette of Booker T. Washington.

Posted by: Mike (thelastasylum.com) on November 2, 2010 10:50 AM
14. Doesn't the WA state constitution specify that bills are to passed in the legislature by simple majority vote? If this is true, and I recall that is what I read when I looked it up, then how can an initiative that mandates a two-thirds majority to pass tax increases be constitutional?

Posted by: Daddy Love on November 2, 2010 01:22 PM
15. ARTICLE II, SECTION 22: PASSAGE OF BILLS.

"No bill shall become a law unless on its final passage the vote be taken by yeas and nays, the names of the members voting for and against the same be entered on the journal of each house, and a majority of the members elected to each house be recorded thereon as voting in its favor."

I think that is pretty clearly a simple majority.

Posted by: Daddy Love on November 2, 2010 01:28 PM
16. Daddy Love - it can also be read as setting a minimum number of votes to pass a bill - i.e., a plurality won't pass, and a majority of those present won't pass the bill unless it also is a majority of the elected representatives.

Posted by: SouthernRoots on November 2, 2010 01:44 PM
17. Here is the link to the number of ballots returned already.

http://your.kingcounty.gov/elections/abstats/

Here is the link (Click at 8:15) to the results (King County Only but I believe King County will determine the election) to the Senate Race.

http://your.kingcounty.gov/elections/elections/201011/Respage3.aspx

Posted by: J on November 2, 2010 02:01 PM