Washington State will become a fiasco.

[The Vorlon]

An additional 450 Ballots have been discovered in King County, and the revised estimate of Ballots to be counted is now 1450, versus 1000 previously posted by the Sec of State.

As of Wednesday Morning....

[muon2]

Latest vote totals from the Washington Secretary of State
(http://www.vote.wa.gov/general/statewide.aspx) as of 7:25 PM PST, Nov 16:

Christine Gregoire Democrat 1,367,346 48.87%
 
Dino Rossi  Republican 1,367,365 48.87%
 
Ruth Bennett Libertarian 63,062 2.25%

For those arithmetically challenged, that is a whopping margin of 19 votes for Rossi. 

What will tomorrow bring?

As of 12:34 pm PST:

Christine Gregoire Democrat 1,367,886 48.87%
 
Dino Rossi  Republican 1,368,019 48.87%
 
Ruth Bennett Libertarian 63,121 2.25%

My math puts Rossi's margin at 133. 

[Sam Spade]

Margin now at 137 votes for Rossi.

So far today, we have heard finals from Adams, Chelan, Challam, Columbia, Ferry, Grant, Island, Jefferson, Kittitas, Lewis, Lincoln, Pacific, Pend Oreille, Pierce, San Juan and Thurston Counties for a total of roughly 1111 votes.

Still approximately 5,461 votes left (plus however many ones King County can find to put Gregoire over the top) from Benton, Clark, Cowlitz, Franklin, Grays Harbor, King, Kitsap, Klickitat, Mason, Skagit, Skamania, Spokane, Stevens, Wahkiakum, Walla Walla, Whatcom and Whitman.

[Sam Spade]

Final 200 votes in from Skagit County.

Rossi gains 51 votes in his margin, which is now up to 188 votes.

[Sam Spade]

Final 10 votes in from Spokane County.

Gregoire gains 1 vote, margin now Rossi by 187 votes.

[Sam Spade]

Last 50 ballots from Mason County.

Margin stays the same, Rossi by 187 votes.

[Sam Spade]

Last 5 ballots from Wahkiakum County.

Rossi gains 2 votes; margin now Rossi by 189 votes.

[Sam Spade]

Last 100 ballots from Klickitat County.

Rossi gains 8 votes, margin now Rossi by 197 votes.

[Sam Spade]

Last 100 votes in from Whatcom County.

Rossi gains 15 votes, margin now Rossi by 212 votes.

A little surprising that Rossi gained 15 votes from a county that was slightly Gregoire.

[Sam Spade]

Last 100 votes in from Kitsap County.

Gregoire gains 9 votes.  Margin now Rossi by 203 votes.

[bgwah]

You know what sucks, now we have to wait for a recount. There is really no doubt whether there will be one now. THe last recounts have usually been closer to 2000, but it looks like this wont, so a recount may actually change the result!

[Alcon]

My latest projection shows a Gregoire win of 500 votes.

Gregoire 1,371,567 (48.89%)
Rossi 1,371,067 (48.87%)
Bennett 62,775 (2.24%)

[Sam Spade]

Strong GOP Stevens County has put in their last 600 votes.

Rossi gains 183 votes, margin is now Rossi by 405 votes.

Gotta go out now, hopefully I'll be back for this big conclusion.  Looks like to me right now that everything rests on Grays Harbor, unless King County "discovers" some more votes.

[Alcon]

Strong GOP Stevens County has put in their last 600 votes.

Rossi gains 183 votes, margin is now Rossi by 405 votes.

Gotta go out now, hopefully I'll be back for this big conclusion.  Looks like to me right now that everything rests on Grays Harbor, unless King County "discovers" some more votes.

To be fair there has been a lot of "disovering" of votes. I know for a fact that about half of counties that were completely reported last night have added ballots since then - Asotin County upped their total by like 10%.

With full new reports in from King, Stevens, and Walla Walla county and probably some other county that I forgot, Rossi has regained a lead of 380:

Rossi 1,371,003 (48.89%)
Gregoire 1,370,623 (48.87%)
Bennett 62,801 (2.24%)

Counties remaining to report:

Grays Harbor 1,221
Benton 750
Franklin 250
Whitman 250
Clark 200
Skamania 50
Cowlitz 25

[ilikeverin]

WALLA WALLA!

[ATFFL]

We are down to 2 counties left. 

Benton with 750 and Gray's Harbor with 1221. 

Benton went for Rossi 68% to 30%.  Gray's Harbor was close, going for Gregoire 49.3% to 48.7%.

Rossi is up by 92 votes.

Now the main question is will we be within 150 votes requiring a hand recount. 

[Alcon]

My newest projection says no hand recount.

Rossi 1,371,133 (48.88%)
Gregoire 1,370,764 (48.86%)
Bennett 63,314 (2.26%)

Remaining counties:

Grays Harbor 1,221
Benton 750

[ATFFL]

Gray's Harbor is in.  Gregoire leads by 13 votes. 

It seems very likely Rossi will win.  Will it be by 150+ votes though?

[Sam Spade]

If the results go 2-1 Rossi, like Benton has done so far, the answer would be no.

This one's far from over, however.

[rbt48]

Christine Gregoire  Democrat 1,370,967 48.87%

Dino Rossi Republican 1,370,954 48.87%

Ruth Bennett Libertarian 63,327 2.25%

5:59 PM PST report has Gregoire up by 13 votes.

[rbt48]

Christine Gregoire Democrat 1,371,153 48.86%

Dino Rossi Republican 1,371,414 48.87%

Ruth Bennett Libertarian 63,346 2.25%

Apparently all counties reported, Rossi lead of 261 votes.

Reported by WA Secretary of State, 6:33 PM PST

No manual recount as the margin is > 150 votes.

Also, from the WA Secretary of State website,
"Most counties can recount all ballots in one day. Some counties may take two days. King County will need approximately four days to recount all ballots.

If the recount were ordered on Wednesday, November 17, 2004 , King County would most likely begin recounting on Saturday, November 20, 2004 and all other counties would begin on Monday, November 22, 2004 .

Under this timeframe, all counties should be completed with the recount by Wednesday, November 24, 2004 , the day before Thanksgiving.

The Secretary of State is required to certify the election returns 30 days after the general election. This year that date falls on December 2, 2004."

[Democratic Hawk]

It will likely be just as close following the recount. May the best candidate win

Dave