Rossi named governor-elect; funds flowing to Democrats for new count

By Susan Gilmore and David Postman
Seattle Times staff reporters

JOHN LOK / THE SEATTLE TIMES Dino Rossi greets supporters last night during a celebration at a Bellevue hotel. Rossi was named governor-elect yesterday, as the secretary of state certified the results of last week's recount, in which Rossi edged Christine Gregoire by 42 votes.

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Rossi declared victory over Democratic Attorney General Christine Gregoire yesterday afternoon and by nightfall was partying with supporters in a Bellevue hotel.

Outside the party, Democrats held a "count every vote" candlelight vigil. Party and Gregoire campaign officials say it is presumptuous of Rossi to declare victory on his 42-vote margin, a finish they call a tie.

It's not at all clear that Democrats will push to actually count every vote, however. They may pay for a recount in counties where they think Gregoire has the best chance of closing the minuscule gap.

They have until Friday, under state law, to request a hand recount either statewide or in selected counties. The Democrats have said they don't know whether they will have the $1.2 million to $1.5 million they estimate a statewide hand recount would cost.

Yesterday morning, Secretary of State Sam Reed officially certified the results of last week's machine recount of 2.8 million votes cast in the Nov. 2 election.

"We have checked with experts around the nation, and nowhere has there ever been an election of this magnitude that is this close," Reed said.

Another recount Where things stand Votes in the Washington governor's race have been counted twice: the initial count and a statewide machine recount ordered because the initial margin between Republican Dino Rossi and Democrat Christine Gregoire was less than 2,000 votes. The first recount For the machine recount, counties fed ballots through vote-counting machines, and in some cases counted ballots by hand when machines couldn't read the votes. The recount left Rossi 42 votes ahead of Gregoire out of 2.8 million ballots cast, a margin that state election officials believe would be the closest in U.S. history for a race of this magnitude. The hand recount Under state law, anyone has the right to request a second recount, known as a hand recount, provided they pay costs estimated at 25 cents per ballot. In a hand recount, rather than use vote-counting machines, votes are hand-counted by three-member teams working from stacks of ballots. While many in both parties, including Secretary of State Sam Reed and Gov. Gary Locke, doubt this would produce a more-accurate count, it is the procedure outlined by state law. Requestors have the option of asking for a recount statewide or in selected counties. If a selected recount puts Gregoire ahead, then the state is required to pay for a hand recount in all remaining counties. Are further recounts possible? The next hand recount would be the last. If it changes the result, its results would supplant the results of the first recount and Gregoire would be declared the winner.

Reed, a Republican, and Gov. Gary Locke, a Democrat, both said they hope it will be over soon.

Locke said he would prefer a statewide recount. He said questions will remain if Gregoire calls for a recount only in counties that lean her way.

Locke, who decided not to run for a third term, said the first two counts in the race have left him concerned about the accuracy of the process.

"What's amazing is that in all the counties, every time there is a count, the tally changes," Locke said.

He suggested that Democrats could pay for the counties where Gregoire is expected to do well and Republicans in counties where Rossi could be expected to pick up votes. He said he'd consider donating his own money to the Democrats' recount fund.

Paul Berendt, state Democratic Party chairman, said the preference is for a statewide recount, but he doesn't know if the party can afford it.

Already, Berendt said, the party spent $130,000 in legal fees in its fight to obtain names of those with problem provisional ballots in King County, and additional legal fees are likely.

But he was encouraged that money is flowing into the party for the recount. The Democratic National Committee has committed $200,000, he said, and could offer more.

"We're literally going to the mailbox every day to see what has come in to help us make our decision," Berendt said, adding that the party is also about $300,000 in debt from the election.

The party would pay not only for the 25 cents per ballot that the counties charge for a recount, but legal fees and the cost of staffing supervisors in each of the state's 39 counties should the entire state be recounted.

While Berendt wouldn't say what counties the Democrats might target if they choose a partial recount, the party has questioned vote counts in Franklin, Adams and Snohomish counties.

The party has until 5 p.m. Friday to decide whether to request a recount, and if so, what kind. The Republicans also could ask for a partial recount.

If the results of a partial count put Gregoire ahead, the state would then pay for a full, statewide, hand recount.

"The attitude of the Republican Party is Dino Rossi is the governor-elect and we're going to do everything to defend that," said state Republican Chairman Chris Vance.

Governor-elect Rossi, who just returned from a seven-day Caribbean cruise, told reporters yesterday he was "tanned, rested and ready to turn the state of Washington around."

Rossi skirted questions about whether he would have demanded a recount had he trailed Gregoire by 42 votes rather than leading.

He also wouldn't say whether he would ask for a partial recount if the Democrats don't recount the entire state. Rossi did, however, say the law needs to be changed to require that a recount be a statewide one.

Asked whether he's having a hard time recruiting staff because of all the uncertainty, he raised his hand and stretched his fingers wide.

"I have a book this thick with résumés," Rossi said.

Susan Gilmore: 206-464-2054 or sgilmore@seattletimes.com.

Staff reporter Andrew Garber contributed to this report.

Copyright © 2004 The Seattle Times Company

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