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A group of Washington residents have filed a lawsuit with the state Supreme Court asking the state's votes for President-Elect Barack Obama be set aside. James E. Broe, of King County, and 12 others claim Obama never established that he is a natural-born American citizen as required by the Constitution, and that Obama ran under a false name. A similar suit before the election was dismissed in King County. Obama is set to receive the state's 11 electoral votes when the Electoral College delegates meet in Olympia on Dec. 15. Similar lawsuits have been filed in other states. Dave Ammons,...

Republicans in the state House of Representatives expect a net gain of one to two seats once votes from the Nov. 4 election are completely tallied, marking the first GOP gain in that chamber in more than a decade. Ballots counted late Friday and over the weekend flipped the result in two House races that had been in Democrats’ favor. And one more still might flip into the GOP column. If those three trends hold up, House Republicans would remain in the minority in January, but Democrats would see their majority reduced by two to 61-37, according to Kevin Carns,...

Republican Rep. Dave Reichert ’s win for a third House term was confirmed late Friday night, as Democratic nominee Darcy Burner conceded defeat in the close rematch of their 2006 race in Washington’s 8th Congressional District. With Reichert’s Republican hold in the suburban Seattle district, the Democrats’ net gain in the national House campaign stands at 19, meaning they will enter the 111th Congress with at least 254 seats. Those figures currently appear likely to go at least 257 seats and a net gain of 21. Democrats believe they have secured two more takeover victories, both in districts that have...

Red, white and true blue: City hoists Old Glory Stores see star-spangled sales Thursday, November 6, 2008 Last updated 12:05 a.m. PT By ANDREA JAMES AND KERY MURAKAMI P-I REPORTERS Barack Obama's presidential win held a poignant significance for liberal Seattleites: This is their America, too. The feeling was evident in jubilant partying in the streets, in quiet moments of reflection and in blossoms of red, white and blue. With newfound patriotism, Seattleites want to wave the flag, hang it from their homes and stick it on their cars. "The thing that's kind of astounding to me is I never...

OLYMPIA, Wash. — Voters approved Initiative 1000 on Tuesday, making Washington the second state to give terminally ill people the option of medically assisted suicide. The ballot measure, patterned after Oregon's "Death with Dignity" law, allows a terminally ill person to be prescribed lethal medication, which would be self-administered. With about 43 percent of the expected vote counted Tuesday in unofficial returns, I-1000 was being approved by a margin of about 58 percent to about 42 percent. Supporters, led publicly by Democratic former Gov. Booth Gardner, said the initiative would provide a compassionate way for terminally ill people to die.

Gregoire 52% Rossi 48% 28% reporting Too Close To Call

"Ever since we launched the statewide voter registration database back in January, 2006, we have been able to remove 160,000 invalid registrations, including a number who were signed up in more than one county, voters who had died, and convicted felons who have not had their voting rights restored," said state Elections Director Nick Handy. "But we would be the first to acknowledge that dealing with felon voters is a work in progress. Ultimately, we need state lawmakers to clear the way by passing reform legislation." The state aggressively uses reliable and current data to scrub the voter rolls four...

Sunday, October 19, 2008 - Page updated at 12:00 AM Dino Rossi for governor DINO Rossi should be elected governor Nov. 4 because he can best be trusted to erase the state's huge projected deficit without raising taxes. Under Gov. Christine Gregoire, state government during the good years built up a mass of programs, promises and public spending. Now the economy is in recession, and unless taxes are to be raised on people already struggling — a bad idea — state spending will have to be cut about 10 percent. To do that, the people need a governor who has...

Olympia, WA (LifeNews.com) -- Leading pro-abortion groups in Washington have taken the somewhat unusual of step of endorsing a ballot measure that would make the state the second to legalize assisted suicide. A leading pro-life advocate says he's not surprised the pro-abortion movement has linked up with euthanasia advocates.Calling it an "important" vote to "promote progress in Washington" Planned Parenthood of Washington emailed its supporters a copy of a voting guide it compiled along with other liberal groups in the state.The names of the groups endorsing a specific candidate or ballot issue are listed, and NARAL is indicated as endorsing...

They sing. They dance.And on Oct. 12, they march: Grassroots “Kids for Obama Parade” (Organizing)On Sunday, October 12, Washington State kids and families will parade around Seattle’s Green Lake. “Kids for Obama Parade” will illustrate one of Barack Obama’s core beliefs: Everyone’s voice counts. Join us as Obama’s youngest supporters rally their families and call for change, for a better America. At 2 pm, rain or shine, children and teens will express with words and drawings their hopes for the future of America on “wish flags” that will be mailed to Obama. The first 300 kids will be given a...

NEW YORK The Courier in Findlay, Ohio, has announced its endorsement of Sen. John McCain for President. The newspaper also supported the Republican candidate in 2004. Also committing to McCain:: The Spokesman-Review in Spokane, Wash. E&P is charting every editorial endorsement. Obama had been on a run in the past week. Send any pick to: gmitchell@editorandspublisher.com. The Spokesman-Review views McCain’s “long service” to the country and strong record of leadership as the experience needed to handle America’s affairs at home and abroad. Though the endorsement does criticize Palin as the VP pick, “she is not running for president,” and Obama...

The race for Washington’s next Governor is now a tie. The latest Rasmussen Reports telephone survey in the state finds incumbent Christine Gregoire and challenger Dino Rossi each attracting 48% of the vote. Gregoire is viewed favorably by 51% and unfavorably by 47%. Her job performance is rated 43% good or excellent from voters, while 35% say she is doing a poor job. Former State Senator Rossi’s ratings are 50% favorable, 48% unfavorable. This year’s race has been anything but steady. Last month, Rossi pulled ahead of the governor, 52% to 46%, after trailing behind by four percentage points in...

The race for Washington’s next Governor is now a tie. The latest Rasmussen Reports telephone survey in the state finds incumbent Christine Gregoire and challenger Dino Rossi each attracting 48% of the vote. Gregoire is viewed favorably by 51% and unfavorably by 47%. Her job performance is rated 43% good or excellent from voters, while 35% say she is doing a poor job. Former State Senator Rossi’s ratings are 50% favorable, 48% unfavorable.

King County Superior Court Judge Richard Eadie ruled Friday that Republican governor candidate Dino Rossi could keep his designation as "prefers GOP Party" on the November General Election ballot. The Washington State Democrats sued to force Rossi to describe himself as a Republican. Some voters might be confused about what "GOP" means, a King County Superior Court judge said Friday, but that's not reason enough to change the way gubernatorial candidate Dino Rossi describes himself on the general election ballot. State Democrats sued last week, saying Rossi was trying to hide his party affiliation because of low approval ratings for...

Immediately following tonight's debate between Republican John McCain and Democrat Barack Obama, SurveyUSA interviewed 1,000 state of Washington adults, of whom 631 watched tonight's debate. Of all debate watchers: 40% say McCain was the clear winner. 38% say Obama was the clear winner. 23% say there was no clear winner. But: Independents, the most critical, coveted and arguably most dispassionate group of debate watcher, gave by 4:3 the nod to McCain. Republicans by 6:1 say McCain won. Democrats by 6:1 say Obama won. Those two groups offset. Debate watchers say McCain understands Iraq better, McCain understands Iran better, McCain understands...

State of Washington Independents Say McCain is Clear Winner of 1st Presidential Debate: Immediately following tonight's debate between Republican John McCain and Democrat Barack Obama, SurveyUSA interviewed 1,000 state of Washington adults, of whom 631 watched tonight's debate. Of all debate watchers: 40% say McCain was the clear winner. 38% say Obama was the clear winner. 23% say there was no clear winner. But: Independents, the most critical, coveted and arguably most dispassionate group of debate watcher, gave by 4:3 the nod to McCain. Republicans by 6:1 say McCain won. Democrats by 6:1 say Obama won. Those two groups offset....

State of Washington Independents Say McCain is Clear Winner of 1st Presidential Debate: Immediately following tonight's debate between Republican John McCain and Democrat Barack Obama, SurveyUSA interviewed 1,000 state of Washington adults, of whom 631 watched tonight's debate. Of all debate watchers: 40% say McCain was the clear winner. 38% say Obama was the clear winner. 23% say there was no clear winner. But: Independents, the most critical, coveted and arguably most dispassionate group of debate watcher, gave by 4:3 the nod to McCain. Republicans by 6:1 say McCain won. Democrats by 6:1 say Obama won. Those two groups offset....

OLYMPIA — The state Democratic Party filed suit Tuesday in an attempt to force Dino Rossi to list his party preference as "Republican" on the November ballot instead of "GOP Party." Democrats say the Iraq War and low approval ratings for President Bush have left the Republican Party a damaged brand and that Rossi is trying to distance himself by using GOP as his affiliation. Rossi is running against Democratic Gov. Christine Gregoire. He lost to Gregoire by 133 votes in the 2004 election, and polls show this race to be close as well. Polls by Stuart Elway have suggested...

Former New Hampshire Sen. Warren Rudman has been tapped by Republican presidential nominee John McCain to co-chair a new campaign committee that will deal with voter fraud issues as the election nears. Rudman and his fellow co-chair, former Missouri Sen. John Danforth, told reporters on a conference call yesterday that voting and registration issues are already surfacing in many states, although New Hampshire was not among them. Rudman said that the election "ought to be decided by voters, not lawyers." The McCain-Palin Honest and Open Election Committee wants to ensure that "every qualified citizen has a right to vote in...

1. If the election for President were held today would you support the Democratic ticket of Barack Obama and Joseph Biden or the Republican ticket of John McCain and Sarah Palin? Obama/Biden 47% McCain/Palin 42% Other 3% Undecided 8%