WASHINGTON STATE DEMOCRATS NEED OUR HELP!!!

[ClarkUSA]

WE NEED YOUR HELP. Please contact Paul Berendt, head of the Washington State Democratic Party and give him your support. If you can, send money because the
Democrats are appealing this ruling. They are worried they will not have enough to cover all the legal obstacles the GOP is throwing in their path and no, Kerry has not offered to help with the legal expenses yet. Send prayers. Send good wishes.

DON'T let the GOP steal Washington, too. Thank you!!

Send comments and contributions: http://wa-democrats.org

Judge: Don't count 735 ballots -- Ruling a blow to Gregoire, Democrats
SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER CAPITOL CORRESPONDENT

TACOMA -- A judge yesterday barred King County from including 735 mistakenly disqualified votes in its hand recount of the governor's race, capping a week of court fights and controversy in the wildest state political contest in memory.

Democrats, who will appeal, said the decision is a misinterpretation of this week's state Supreme Court ruling that would disenfranchise hundreds of qualified voters from both parties.

Though the ruling was a hard hit for Democrat Christine Gregoire, she made gains in Pierce County, where hand recount returns cut Republican Gov.-elect Dino Rossi's lead by 31 votes. Rossi then picked up seven votes when Spokane County's results came in, leaving him with a 50-vote lead with only King County left to report.

State Democratic Party Chairman Paul Berendt can only hope the state Supreme Court overturns Arend's decision as it becomes apparent that the disputed King County ballots could decide the contest.

http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/204349_governor18.html

[Parche]

1. vote

Its count every vote stupid....time

King county still has a lot of ballots to go hand counting
I hope she can pull it off there

[GetTheRightVote]

2. Real votes not being counted, amazing, just amazing,

so who got paid off this time ???

[ClarkUSA]

3. It's disgusting, isn't it?

Real votes who weren't counted because they were either hidden or someone
screwed up.

[shraby]

4. Would it help if the people

who voted on those ballots made a challenge that their votes were legal but not being counted?

[ClarkUSA]

5. The WA State Dems are appealing the decision...

time is limited and I'm not sure whether the Election Board has given the Party access to even look at these "found" ballots.

What I do know is that the GOP are hammering Paul Berendt, the State Chairman,
and he needs our support. The Kerry folks aren't helping much. <surprise>

[merwin]

13. The reason they chose to file in Pierce county, instead of King county

where the ballots are in question is because the judge who they got is good friends with Rossi.

Go figure.

I bet it'll get turned over by the state supreme court.

[trudyco]

6. Just became in Evergreen member - kick nt

[ClarkUSA]

7. Trudyco, thanks!

These are the Democrats we wish we had elsewhere. <cough, cough>

They are standing up to the GOP and refuse to back down even though they wish they had some more support from Kerry and the national DNC. Paul Berendt (WA Democratic State Party Chairman) and Chris Gregoire are a real credit to the Party. True liberals and real gutsy fighters who really are fighting for every vote, unlike some Democrats and another DNC Chairman I could name. <cough, cough>

[mom cat]

8. kick

[weeve]

9. Then throw out Rossi's extra votes !

Correct me if I'm wrong, but didn't Rossi pick up some votes in E. Washington counties during the recount, for ballots that were found after the fact ?? Why should these be counted, yet not the King County ones... all through no fault of the voters? If the Supreme Court outrageously decides that these valid votes should not be counted , then shouldn't the ones Rossi got after the fact also be thrown out? Is not this decision whether to count these ballots up to each county's election board, as long as the election has not been certified yet? Does anyone also recall reading that Rossi picked up votes about a week ago with newly found ballots ? Sorry, lots of questions ... lots of OUTRAGE!!
A King County (non-absentee) Voter

[Cheswick2.0]

10. The ballots in question

are not being counted because even though the candidate's name was written on the correct line, there was a box or circle next to the line that was supposed to be checke and the voters failed to check that box.

Of course this is BULLSHIT, because the will of the voter is very clear.

[merwin]

14. What? That's completely false. They weren't counted because

the people verifying signatures on the absentee ballots marked them as "Signature mismatch" when there actuallly wasn't a signature on file electronically. They should have gone and verified the paper signature records, but they didn't.

That's why they were invalidated.

You're probably thinking of the San Diego mayor race, with the write in candidate :)

[Lil]

11. kick for Washington

[Lil]

12. Kick

[Angry Girl]

15. kick

[corbett]

16. Kick For Washington

My money's riding on King County! Nevertheless, that appeal must be filed and filed without hesitation! How come we can't find judges with a clue?

[rehema]

17. kick

[Lil]

18. any recent infomation to pass along? Thanks. n/t

[Lil]

19. SeattleTimes: names of those whose ballots were denied - DU link below

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=203x179062

[dalloway]

20. kick n/t