That's the Seattle Times spin. I had been thinking along those lines as well.
But all that is not necessary. All that is necessary is for the judge to hear the case and if warranted, vacate the Governorship.
That's the good news.
The Shark is being pulled into a diversion by the Seattle Times. The judge did not say Rossi would need to determine votes to erase Gregoire's lead. He said he doesn't have the authority to order a revote. But he does have the authority to nullify the election and vacate the Governorship.
SECTION 10 VACANCY IN OFFICE OF GOVERNOR In case of the removal, resignation, death or disability of the governor, the duties of the office shall devolve upon the lieutenant governor; and in case of a vacancy in both the offices of governor and lieutenant governor, the duties of the governor shall devolve upon the secretary of state. In addition to the line of succession to the office and duties of governor as hereinabove indicated, if the necessity shall arise, in order to fill the vacancy in the office of governor, the following state officers shall succeed to the duties of governor and in the order named, viz.: Treasurer, auditor, attorney general, superintendent of public instruction and commissioner of public lands. In case of the death, disability, failure or refusal of the person regularly elected to the office of governor to qualify at the time provided by law, the duties of the office shall devolve upon the person regularly elected to and qualified for the office of lieutenant governor, who shall act as governor until the disability be removed, or a governor be elected; and in case of the death, disability, failure or refusal of both the governor and the lieutenant governor elect to qualify, the duties of the governor shall devolve upon the secretary of state; and in addition to the line of succession to the office and duties of governor as hereinabove indicated, if there shall be the failure or refusal of any officer named above to qualify, and if the necessity shall arise by reason thereof, then in that event in order to fill the vacancy in the office of governor, the following state officers shall succeed to the duties of governor in the order named, viz: Treasurer, auditor, attorney general, superintendent of public instruction and commissioner of public lands. Any person succeeding to the office of governor as in this Section provided, shall perform the duties of such office only until the disability be removed, or a governor be elected and qualified; and if a vacancy occur more than thirty days before the next general election occurring within two years after the commencement of the term, a person shall be elected at such election to fill the office of governor for the remainder of the unexpired term. [AMENDMENT 6, 1909 p 642 Section 1. Approved November, 1910.]
This is from a comment on the SP thread:
"On illegal votes--the Democrats say Rossi must prove the votes were invalid. Bridges ruled it was premature to make that discovery. On using statute 68 .020 from the RCW as the sole basis for what is contestable, Bridges ruled that while they (Rossi) fail on .020, .11 CAN and does apply."
http://www.soundpolitics.com/archives/003700.html