It is amazing how evenly divided we are in this state. Happened when Cantwell ran against Gorton in the Senatorial race, and now for the Governors race.
There will be an automatic recount, probably starting on Saturday.
Tuesday, November 16, 2004, 12:00 A.M. Pacific
Q&A: The rules for a recount
By Susan Gilmore
Seattle Times staff reporter
Washington law requires a recount of an election if the margin is within one-half of 1 percent of all votes cast and within 2,000 votes.
Q: How would it happen?
A: The counties are required to certify election returns to the Secretary of State's Office by tomorrow. The secretary of state expects to issue a recount order, if needed, the same day. Before beginning a recount, the counties are required to provide two days' notice to the candidates and parties of the time and place of the recount.
Q: How long would a recount take?
A: Most counties can recount all ballots in one day; some may take two days. King County expects it would take four days. It is expected to begin its recount Saturday, and all other counties would begin Monday. The recount should be completed by Nov. 24, the day before Thanksgiving. The election is to be certified by the state Dec. 2.
Q: How would the recount be done?
A: A machine recount would occur if the difference is more than 140 votes and less than 2,000 votes. A manual recount would occur if the difference is less than one-quarter of 1 percent of the total votes and the two candidates are separated by fewer than 150 votes.
Only ballots counted in the original tally would be included in the recount.
Q: Would this be the end?
A: Not necessarily. State law authorizes only one mandatory recount, but a candidate or political party can request a recount after the election is certified. The party or candidate must make a deposit with the state in the amount of 15 cents per vote for a machine recount and 25 cents per vote for a manual recount. If the final number of voters is 2.8 million, the deposit would be $700,000 for a manual recount and $420,000 for a machine recount.
Q: Have recounts ever made a difference in a race?
A: No. No statewide races have ever changed as a result of a recount. In 2000, when there was a recount of the Maria Cantwell and Slade Gorton race for a U.S. Senate seat, Cantwell picked up 177 votes in the recount and Gorton lost 99 votes, for a final difference of 2,229 votes.
But recounts have decided other races. In 1986, a recount altered the outcome of a 15th District state Senate race between incumbent Irv Newhouse and Dick Golob. Newhouse won in a recount after trailing in the original tally.
In 1990, the legislative race in the 24th District became known as "the Race From Hell" after the candidates finished within five votes of each other. After two recounts and a bizarre discovery of five unopened ballots, Democratic state Rep. Evan Jones of Sequim was declared the winner over Republican Ann Goos of Forks. (Jones went on to sponsor the measure that limited the number of recounts and called for hand recounts in extreme cases.)
The last statewide recount for a state office occurred in the 1968 attorney general's race, when Republican Gorton defeated Democrat John McCutcheon by 5,368 votes.
Susan Gilmore: 206-464-2054 or sgilmore@seattletimes.com
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