Posted: November 4, 2010
Washington State Recount Procedures
The Washington state Senate race between incumbent Democrat Patty Murray and Republican Dino Rossi continues to be tight, although Murray's lead has been increasing. As of today, Murray is leading Rossi by 27,464 votes with 71% of precincts reporting. According to the Secretary of State's website, almost 600,000 votes have yet to be counted, with King County, a democratic stronghold, having a couple hundred thousand votes uncounted.
Under Washington law, an automatic recount can be triggered when the margin of victory is under 2,000 votes and also less than one-half of one percent of the total number of votes cast for both candidates. RCW 29A.64.021. Looking at the current numbers, it is unlikely that an automatic recount will be triggered. However, if there is no automatic recount, a candidate can request a recount within 3 business days after certification of the results. RCW 29A.64.021.
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Commentary
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