About hand recounts

[KT2000]

The spin is getting furious concerning a hand recount in Washington's governor's race. They have even dragged out the ex gov Dan Evans to try to scare the public into believing that "it will be like Florida!"

The news repeatedly states that recounts have never led to changing the outcome of an election, but that is not true. I personally worked on a recount in Clallam County in the 1980's. It was between Evan Jones and Anne Goos for state rep. The hand recount changed the results of the election.

The hand recount was conducted in an orderly manner - each table had four people counting - two for each party. There were observers from both parties who examined questioned ballots and watched the counters. There were judges who made the final determination on all questioned ballots. Everything was orderly, quiet and accomplished with respect for the process.

As we all know, Florida was a PR stunt to the extreme. The video of the idiot looking cross-eyed at the ballot, turning it around and upside down was beyond ridiculous. Humans are quite capable of executing this task without much difficulty. We do have to keep the Republicans from obscuring that fact with their "suppress the vote" hysteria though.

[AllegroRondo]

1. I remember the race for Mayor in my hometown

when I was about 15. They recounted at least 5 times. The margin was so close, each time someone else would win. One guy would win by 5, then recount and the other guy would win by 12, etc etc. It went on for weeks.

[don954]

2. is that the one they fliped the coin over?

[AllegroRondo]

3. No, actually they decided

that whoever won 3 recounts first would win it.