King County Election Results: Gregoire wins!
Thu Dec 23, 2004 at 02:33:41 PM PDT
King County has finished tabulating the up to 735 mistakenly rejected votes. Christine Gregoire's vote margin has grown by 123 additional votes and her vote margin is now 133.
Today's count did not come without some initial Republican party efforts to muddy the waters. Before the King County Canvassing Board met this morning, the Republican party submitted 91 affidavits from persons, many military, claiming that the voted for Mr. Rossi but that their votes were rejected. The canvassing board refused to count these votes, saying that these came in after the deadline, and there was no reason to treat them differently from any other votes coming in after the deadline.
[UPDATE -- Lahdee's got the numbers.] King County announces 5 additional votes. The margin is now +133 Gregoire.
Washington Supreme Court Rules
Wed Dec 22, 2004 at 01:44:17 PM PDT
[UPDATE -- All hand recounts in, Gregoire up by 10 votes. This is before the canvassing of absentee votes permitted by the State Supreme Court today. They are scheduled to be counted Thursday morning.]
The TRO is
dissolved.
It thus follows that the superior court erred in granting a temporary restraining order, and that the King County Canvassing Board properly concluded that it had authority to recanvass the subject ballots pursuant to RCW 29A.60.210. Based on the law as declared in this opinion, respondents are not entitled to injunctive relief. Therefore, the superior court's "Temporary Restraining Order and Order to Show Cause" is reversed and vacated, and the cause is remanded to the superior court for entry of an order of dismissal forthwith.
Washington State Supreme Court Argument -- Governor's Race
Wed Dec 22, 2004 at 11:44:22 AM PDT
The argument began at approximately 9:30 this morning. Three justices recused themselves for undisclosed reasons, and one pro tem justice, C.C. Bridgewater, from the state court of appeals, sat to bring an odd number of judges to decide the case.
Background: One week ago, the state supreme court ruled against the democratic party's request that the secretary of state be ordered to compel each county canvassing board to reexamine every vote.
Action Plan, Step One: Improve the Voting Process
Thu Nov 04, 2004 at 04:38:05 PM PDT
It's time to go to work again.
The first thing that must be done is to bring integrity to the voting process. This is not going to happen nationally, because of the republican coup that occurred Tuesday.
Instead, it is going to occur state by state, and it will either have to occur by initiative process or by legislation enacted in states in which there exist a democratic majority.
More below the fold.
