Posted on 12/16/2004 10:09:03 PM PST by Publius
As of 5:00 PM tonight, Rossi has gained 32 votes statewide in the hand recount. 36 counties have completed their 2nd recount. Rossi’s lead now stands at 74 votes.
Rossi loses 44 in Snohomish. Only Spokane, Pierce and King left to count.
Republicans to file suit in Pierce County asking for a temporary restraining order that will stop King County from processing or counting the 573 newly found disputed ballots.
From the WSRP News Room:
Chaos in King County: Elections Dept. changes its own rules to benefit Gregoire
Seattle, WA – Today the King County Elections Department continued its march toward chaos as it announced it is changing its own rules on ballot-counting midway through the recount process. This new about-face has Republicans questioning what motivated King County to take this unprecedented step.
This morning the King County Elections Department announced to ballot counters that it is changing the rules it had previously set on counting votes. King County’s established guidelines had said that if there were marks in the bubbles for both Rossi and Gregoire, the vote would be considered an “over vote” and would not be counted because the voter had voted for both candidates. Now, however, the Elections Department is going to send these ballots to the Democrat-dominated canvassing board for review.
State GOP chairman Chris Vance blasted King County’s decision, and questioned why the rules are being changed now.
“Why is King County all of a sudden changing its own rules?” asked Vance. “We’ve just found out that so far Dino Rossi has gained about 15 votes in the King County recount. At the same time, Democrats are changing the rules in a way that benefits Christine Gregoire. Is that a coincidence?
“After the canvassing board meeting last night, when the two Democrats on the board overruled the King County Prosecutor’s recommendation to investigate newfound ballots to make sure they are legal, it is clear that the actions of this canvassing board must be questioned.
“By changing its rules midway through the process, King County is only adding to the chaos surrounding this election.”
Vance outlined a history of suspect incidents in King County:
Why did King County change the rules? Because the Democrats asked them to
Seattle, WA – It’s becoming more clear why King County decided to change its own rules this morning for counting “overvotes” on ballots where the bubbles for both Dino Rossi and Christine Gregoire are marked: Because the Democratic Party asked it to.
Today the King County Elections Department announced it is changing its own rules on overvote – instead of not counting them, it is now sending the ballots to the Democrat-dominated canvassing board for further review.
Earlier this week the state Republican Party, sensing that the Elections Department might be considering changing its overvote rules midway through the process, sent a letter to department head Dean Logan urging him to stick with the guidelines he’d already established.
Yesterday the Seattle Times reported that the Democratic Party’s recount director, David McDonald, “asked that all potential overvotes be passed on to the canvassing board.”
State GOP chairman Chris Vance wondered why King County Elections is ignoring Republican requests and granting the Democrats virtually everything they want.
“The King County Elections Department is starting to look less fair and more partisan every day,” said Vance. “I’m very interested to hear King County’s explanation for why it thinks changing the rules in Christine Gregoire’s favor is an OK thing to do.”
I'm on the Washington Republican e-mail list. Chris Vance sent this out tonight.
“We’ve just found out that so far Dino Rossi has gained about 15 votes in the King County recount.
Correct me if I'm wrong, but aren't most of the votes that have miraculously been found also not been under the same controls as all the rest of the valid votes? This isn't a recount by an effort to drag out a process and keep changing it until the desired outcome is achieved. Too bad those who control the process are corrupt Democrats.
You are correct. Their provenance is questionable.
Sure, and they always asked Saddam for an explanation of how he always got 100% of the vote. These are DemocRATS. Rules don't matter.
Recount, Recount. The DIMMS cannot count past Ten, thy run out of Fingers.
Ping.
Ping.
Thank you. Heard Dwight Peltz on the radio this morning. Some real fast talking and heavy breathing. Not at all credible. Came across as incompetent, partisan but eager.
This is all planned, make it look like the county is being fair in their counting, but in actuality they will slowly eat away at Rossi's lead.
Give Rossi a few votes here and there, give our side a few votes plus a couple extra here and there, and before you know it, your side is in the lead and you win.
But most important! Make sure your county is the last county to report, so you know how many votes you need to actually win.
This whole thing is making me wretch! For every vote Rossi gains, King County finds 50 more! ENOUGH ALREADY! We are a national disgrace! (and maybe a national eye-opener)
No wonder they're showing signs of panic.
Yeah, I talked to him (briefly) on the radio tonight. He went over that. I think the biggest barrier to out and out fraud is the Internet and email. Sure it can be used FOR fraud, but it can prevent it too. Can you imagine how much could be (was) swept under the rug 30 years ago?
I don't know who is telling the truth, the tinfoil fell off my rabbit ears!
I'm too tired to analyze this -- is that 15 NET votes or just 15 additional votes?
Oh, I see, it's in the title.
Let me parse this. Vance has heard that, thus far, Rossi has a 15 vote net gain in King County over Gregoire. This runs counter to expectations.
King Ping
This entire thing is an outrage. I am so tired of being at the mercy of the people who run this county.
The good news is that Rob McKenna takes office next month as AG. I think he has his work cut out for him.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.