Final 4 Counties Reject GOP Re-Canvass Request (WA State)

[Mrs. Overall]

SEATTLE - The way has apparently been cleared for certification of Christine Gregoire as Governor-elect.

But, the State Republican party asked all 39 counties to consider a recanvass of votes that were rejected because of signature mismatches. Thirty-five said no. The final four counties' canvassing boards met Tuesday and then also rejected the request, clearing the way for certification.

But Chris Vance, the Republican chairman, told KOMO 4 News he is disappointed. Vance said the people are the losers. Vance added: "So today, we are saying to King County and other counties, don't try to run out the clock; don't stall; we are not going away until we get this information, so we can analyze this election and see if it was fair and accurate."

Gregoire is currently scheduled to take the oath of office on Jan. 12.

http://www.komotv.com/stories/34579.htm

[xray s]

1. cry me a river

:cry::cry::cry::cry::cry::cry::cry:

[Cronus Protagonist]

30. Hahahaha You took the words right out of my mouth

And it is interesting to note the hypocrisy of the Republican party too, in opposing recounts in election 2000, also in election 2004, and particularly with Blackwell blackballing any such investigations under his purview in OH.





http://brainbuttons.com/home.asp?stashid=13
Buttons for brainy people - educate your local freepers today!

[buddysmellgood]

2. It's so funny. They warn King County not to do exactly what they

are trying to do in the presidential election. Maybe we can get them to tell us what not to do on January 6.

[Nothing Without Hope]

7. The bald-faced hypocrisy of these clowns is beyond amazing (n/t)

[Niche]

3. I was hoping for a revote.

[Ediacara]

4. Wasn't this the guy...

Who kept urging Gregoire to do the right thing and conceed? I guess this mesage never got to Rossi? He lost, fair and square....

[jaysunb]

5. So let's see now....

In San diego, they find after a careful recount, the Democratic candidate for mayor actually got more votes.

Pan over to Montana, and we find that after careful scrutiny, the Dems have again been the actual winner.

Go over to Washington, and, GLORY BE ! another recount, and another Democratic victory.

As they say, " Ray Charles could have seen through this shit." Sombodies been doing a little cheating, and they've just about got it down to a science.

It is now time for a real look at the State of Ohio AND Florida.

[genieroze]

6. Hey Pubs and Freepers, Nah, nah, nah, nah, ha, ha.

:nopity:

[Left coast liberal]

8. Vance is quite the hypocrite.

If he is so concerned about seeing if the election was fair and accurate then maybe he'll go on the record and say Blackwell should testify under oath!

[SemperEadem]

9. move on, get over it.. nothing to see here

sound familiar, Vance? That's what you thugs dish out when it's the Dems with the gripe.

Time to move on and live with it. Washington State elected a Dem governor and you and your boy will just have to eat it this time.

[Straight Shooter]

10. All of a sudden Vance is taking on a reasonable tone of voice.

What happened to his little feet stomping the floor and his wailing and whining and screaming hysterics that he didn't know if he "could control the Republicans in Washington" if it turned out that Gregoire won?

See? Fight back against a bully and they mellow out. It's remarkable.

[benfranklin1776]

16. "Fight back against a bully and they mellow out. It's remarkable."

Amen to that.

That is a lesson to be remembered in picking a party chairman.

[flamingyouth]

11. Chris Vance = Evil Incarnate

Whiny too. Such an annoying combination.

[StaggerLee]

21. lol

Thanks for the laugh.
:D

[JMS825]

12. Correct me if I am wrong

Arent the republicans the same people who rejected votes because of minor mistakes on voter reg. and absentee balots as well as provisional ones? How can they change the rules to fit their needs?

[sleipnir]

13. Fuck Him. Ship him to Iraq for the Elections.

He can fucking fight a war there with the electorate. Washington State should ride him and his family out on a rail. Vance is a worthless bag of shit. Sorry that it comes to this, but I'm sick of all this petty bickering by Republicans when they just stole the highest office in the country. Screw you Vance.

[ObamaFan2500]

14. I Don't Like This

Now it looks like stonewalling by the democrats. Thye should open the whole things up jsut so that everyone can see so that thye can see what a frod the whole thing in Michigan and Ohio and Florida was. I am SURE that lady won for the governs I just know it inmy bones.

[Chimpanzee]

24. They just did a complete hand recount! What more is there?

[NVMojo]

15. Fuckin' A!!!!!

[allalone]

17. more likely he said we people are a bunch of losers

Dare we hope we have a dem gov? I want to hop and skip. woohoo

[djardin]

18. Hah! The Republicans already sued to stop re-canvassing

They made their bed when they thought they were ahead;
now they can lie in it.

I think the WA Secretary of State should treat them the same way
Blackwell is treating the Ohio recount. Block all requests
for information; don't let them see any of the ballots or lists of people who voted; refuse to answer any questions.

If the Republicans realize that Democratic states will treat
election info requests the same way they treat them in
Republican states they may agree to a lessening of hostilities.

[yellowcanine]

31. Yep - trying to reverse the court ruling in THEIR favor. Tough titty,

is what I say. The Washington pubs aimed for their foot and scored a bullseye.

[aikido15]

19. I love it!

Hahahahahah!

[dbt]

20. Wow. This Vance fellow sounds AMAZINGLY like a

SORE LOSERMAN. Maybe he should get over it?

:evilgrin:
dbt

[CRK7376]

22. WHINY JACKASS REPUBS

They just need to accept the inevitable and GET OVER IT!

[soup]

23. Yep. needs to quit his snivelin'

sit down and shut up.

Why, I'd even go so far as to say if he doesn't like the way we do things here in the U.S. of A. he should just pack up and get out.

[Chimpanzee]

25. Ah... using the pub talking points against them - here here!!

[SeiowMao]

26. I agree with ObamaFan2500

Democrats should look completely transparent. If the Rs want a review of the 39 re canvas of rejected votes because of signatures - I think the Democrats should do that.

We are not supposed to be the party of fraud and intimidation. Using Rs action against them is childish.

If ya'all are so sure she won - what would it hurt? Ds looks like they are afraid of the issue being looked at closer - just like the Rs in Ohio and Florida.

[freedom_to_read]

27. but there's a difference

This is what Vance says: "WE are not going away until WE get this information, so WE can analyze this election and see if it was fair and accurate"

IOW he's saying to the canvas boards, "Since you didn't give us (GOP) the results we wanted we want to look at the ballots again."

Do you really think they will do a fair and honest assessment of which signatures did not match?

This is NOT stonewalling on the part of the Dems. Canvas board members are not Democratic operatives. This is Repubs whining about the recount process because they saw a reversal of fortune.

[gratuitous]

28. No, the recount is over

There is no provision in Washington state law to do what the Republicans are whining about. It would be extra-legal, and not in accordance with the laws on the books at the time the election was held. The rejected ballots were rejected for reasons well-defined in law and previous practice.

The local news had a Clark County (southwest Washington, across the river from Portland) voter on whose ballot had been one of those disqualified. The signature on her ballot looked suspicious, and was held out. In accordance with the law, the county elections office sent the voter a letter, telling her that her ballot was deficient and would be disqualified if she didn't take affirmative steps to make it good. The voter herself said that she had been too busy to respond, and the deadline passed without her doing anything about it. Her ballot was one of those disqualified.

So, should we say to people, "Hey, don't worry. Ignore the rules for voting. If you get a notification from the elections office, don't sweat it. If it turns out your ballot might make a difference, and you ignored the process, and you allowed deadlines to pass, we'll let you come back in eight weeks later and try to fix it so that a candidate can contest and recontest and recontest again the results in the hope that enough ballots somewhere might surface to turn the tide"?

No. There are rules and they have to be followed. Someone who is "too busy" to respond to a letter from the elections office about a fixable problem with his or her ballot can't be accorded an infinite amount of time to decide to respond. Voters who cast their ballots correctly and in good conscience and the larger society that depends on the smooth functioning of government can't be held hostage to folks who won't work within the system.

If the rules are too restrictive or too onerous to comply with, then they need to be changed. But once the rules are in place, for good or ill, the electorate has a reasonable expectation that they be followed. Re-opening the process in violation of the law doesn't increase transparency; it invites fraud and rewards people who don't follow the rules.

[cascadiance]

29. Darn, wish we had that law here in San Diego

The local news had a Clark County (southwest Washington, across the river from Portland) voter on whose ballot had been one of those disqualified. The signature on her ballot looked suspicious, and was held out. In accordance with the law, the county elections office sent the voter a letter, telling her that her ballot was deficient and would be disqualified if she didn't take affirmative steps to make it good. The voter herself said that she had been too busy to respond, and the deadline passed without her doing anything about it. Her ballot was one of those disqualified.

Wish we had that kind of law on the books here in San Diego, where all of the votes for mayor that are being disqualified would have a letter being sent to the voter to ask them to correct them. That might have been a good way to count all votes *and* follow the rules here! I would hope that a majority of those disqualified ballots would have people chomping at the bit to get them corrected here! Damn!

[Rainscents]

33. Vance Need to Shut Up!!!

If Rossi and Vance want every vote count? Well... Remember those 732 ballots in King County Democrat had to fight? Out of 732 ballots, 502 ballots was accepted and 230 was injected for one reason or another... This rejected ballots mostly likely was Democrats!!! There was many other county, Democrats ballots were rejected, NOT just the Republicans. Where does Vance give him the right to fight for only Republicans ballots are only one that was rejected????????? Rossi and Vance need to Shut up, pack up and go back home and try again in 4 years if they want to.

[yellowcanine]

32. Vance acts as if the canvassing boards are made up of only Dems.

Correct me if I am wrong but don't all of the couty canvassing boards have Dem AND Repub members? So what is his little problem, exactly?

[Rainscents]

35. True!!!

Yes, there's Democrats, Republicans, Independents and Libertarians canvassing are all presents and decide on which ballots to discard. Rossi and and Vance only wants to make look like it's the democrats who is causing this problems.

[maxsolomon]

34. suck it chris vance

"the people are the losers"?

no, chris vance, YOU are the loser. get over it, move on, let the healing process begin, "chris" gregoire wants to reach out to everyone who share ours goals, etc. ad nauseum.

hey "chris"; how about DOING SOMETHING with the office of washington state governor for a change? like fix the regressive, unfair tax structure? begin planning for a bullet train link from oregon to BC? make the WSDOT give it up on the Viaduct replacement tunnel & go with the affordable surface street option? tell eastern washington to quit bitching about Seattle or they'll have to pay their own way (for the first time ever)?

there are a million things to do - DO ANY OF THEM.