More uncounted ballots found in Wash.

NJ.com ^ | 12/17/05 | Rebecca Cook

[kattracks]

SEATTLE (AP) — With Washington state in the middle of a recount of its amazingly close governor's race, election officials in Seattle's King County entered a warehouse Friday and found a plastic tray containing 150 misplaced ballots.

The discovery brings the number of belatedly discovered ballots to 723 in the heavily Democratic county — potentially enough to swing the election to Democrat Christine Gregoire.

Republican Dino Rossi won the Nov. 2 election over Gregoire by 261 votes in the first count and by just 42 after a machine recount of the 2.9 million ballots cast. On Thursday, with every county except King, Pierce and Spokane reporting, Rossi had pulled ahead by 74 votes.

The Republican Party went to court Friday to try to block, for the time being, the opening of those ballots. A judge set an afternoon hearing.

King County Elections Director Dean Logan told The Seattle Times that the ballots in the tray, like the 573 other ballots found earlier this week, were mistakenly rejected because there was a problem with how the voters' signatures had been scanned into the county's computer system. The tray apparently was left behind and forgotten in the warehouse, Logan said.

Election workers, along with observers from the political parties, searched the locked cage inside the warehouse.

The search of the warehouse was prompted by a curious finding: None of the envelopes of the 573 other ballots contained names beginning with the letters A or B, and only two started with C, The Times reported.

King County election officials want to count the ballots, which they say are valid votes. Republicans want those ballots to stay rejected — or at the very least, they want King County to investigate further before adding them to the mix.

[crazyhorse691]

This is getting absurd. I would ask how many ballots they will "find" tomorrow, but, they probably will. I just hope that the people who lost these ballots aren't the same ones counting them.

[GaltMeister]

If they searched Sandy Berger's pants they would probably find some more too.

[Red Badger]

The Dems are stealing this in broad daylight.

In December in Washington State? No such thing.......

[Dane]

They couldn't steal Florida. They couldn't steal Ohio. They are having trouble stealing WA and Russia can't even steal Ukraine's election! The Libs and Commies are cracking up. They are a disgrace to their fathers and grandfather's that knew how to steal an election properly

Uncle joe stalin is turning in his grave.

[Lazamataz]

One wonders why the Republicans are not "finding" "lost" ballots as well.

[JennysCool]

Ha! That's one big reason I don't live there anymore!

[CaptRon]

Geez, where are all the folks screaming fraud. Yuo'd think the folks in Ohio could spare a few to protest this development, wouldn't you?

[af_vet_1981]

King County election officials want to count the ballots, which they say are valid votes. Republicans want those ballots to stay rejected — or at the very least, they want King County to investigate further before adding them to the mix.

Another example of media bias; the two Democrat King County election officials want to count the ballots they find after the election was already certified while the one Republican King County election official wants to follow Washington State law.

[Chad Fairbanks]

It's only "fraud" when a Republican wins. Helloooo?

[Lazamataz]

The Dems are stealing this in broad daylight.

And this differs from their usual activities HOW, again.....?

[jmaroneps37]

Do the ratmedia feel even the slightest bit self conscious about this foolishness?

[rmmcdaniell]

It would be funny if those 150 ballots all turned out to be reps and for Rossi, that some enterprising campagin worker had segregated out and squirreled away.

If someone had a sick enough sense of humor, one could manufacture a bunch of ballots with a write-in vote for Pat Buchanan, anonymously tip off some democrat as to the location of these “newly discovered” ballots, then demand that the votes be counted for Gore.

[Chad Fairbanks]

Well, isn't it interesting that the one Canvassing Board member who wants to follow the law is the guy that is a representative of the County Prosecutor's Office...?

[Chad Fairbanks]

Don't tempt me. I'm just sick enough to where I would do that, and enjoy the heck out of it...

[Mr Rogers]

The search of the warehouse was prompted by a curious finding: None of the envelopes of the 573 other ballots contained names beginning with the letters A or B, and only two started with C, The Times reported.

Apparently, they sorted them alphabetically before misplacing them...rigghhttt.

[Lazamataz]

I mean really, has there ever been a more blatant attempt to steal an election ever?

Yes.

Florida, 2000.

The vote counts had Bush up 50k. One or two Republican-leaning counties had yet to be counted. SUDDENLY there was parity.

[Chad Fairbanks]

Shhhh! Don't go making fun of the rats now, they are trying their hardest! ;0)

Besides, everyone knows that they sorted them alphabetically for the whole county and THEN misplaced them in separate places...

[frithguild]

Check Sandy Berger's pants - Hurry!!

[Soul Seeker]

You joke, but I wouldn't be surprised if Sandy showed up in a red Santa suit and pulled ballots out of his bag for their christmas Present. LOL

[Eva]

If King County manages to steal this govenor's election, there will be a heavy toll exacted from King County by the rest of the state in blocked transportation initiatives and other funding issues that will NEVER get passed, or at the very least will be blocked through the iniative process.