Give thanks for the slow vote counts

The Web site for checking the state’s election returns is Vote.wa.gov. That’s especially fitting for Christine Gregoire and Dino Rossi. After all the votes are recounted, one candidate will take on the title of Gov. while the other cries “Wa.”

There’s been a lot of talk lately about tightening the absentee-

ballot deadline and otherwise speeding up Washington’s election process. But why would we do that? Do you have a problem with watching politicians squirm for a few weeks? If this race was on ESPN, we’d call it a sport.

Speaking of which, wouldn’t a cliffhanger election make for a great reality TV series? While the votes were tallied, we could make the candidates compete in silly challenges for bottles of Zantac. The only problem would be coming up with a suitable name for the show. This wasn’t really an “Amazing Race,” and “The Biggest Loser” is already taken. How about “My Big, Fat Obnoxious Governor”?

Some sensitive citizens worry the protracted count has given our state a bad name. But many folks find it refreshing to see us collect every possible vote and then count it right. We should be proud that newspaper readers across the nation encountered an Associated Press story on Tuesday headlined, “Washington calmly awaits new governor.” Besides, do you really care what those clowns in Florida and Ohio think of our scandal-free tabulation process? We’re a “sell no wine before its time” state in a “two-buck Chuck” world. I’ll drink to that.

During the Florida fiasco of 2000, George W. Bush’s team took every opportunity to make him appear presidential. He announced a transition staff and invited the press to photograph his meetings with potential cabinet members. It was a brilliant public-relations move. But when Rossi pulled a similar maneuver this month, it came off as a cheap stunt. Isn’t it ironic to see a Republican politician prove Karl Marx’s observation that historic events occur the first time as tragedy and the second time as farce?

It was also tacky for Rossi’s campaign to complain when King County, a Gregoire stronghold, discovered it had about 10,000 more ballots left to count than initially projected. The earlier estimate didn’t take into account better-than-expected return rates for absentee ballots and high approval rates for provisional votes. Win or lose, isn’t it a good thing when more people vote, and have their votes counted?

“We definitely want to find out where all these additional ballots came from,” was Rossi spokes-

woman Mary Lane’s arch reaction to the development. They came from registered voters, Mary. Ted Kennedy didn’t fly them in from Massachusetts hidden in a fake belly.

The Republicans also objected to the notion – later upheld in court – that King County should release the names of voters whose provisional ballots had been challenged over minor technical issues such as signatures missing middle initials. Meanwhile, Rossi’s people were frantically using similar lists to track down extra votes in counties favorable to their candidate. The equal-treatment standard was good enough for Bush v. Gore, but all of a sudden it’s suspect when it helps a Democrat? Way to build the electorate’s trust, Dino.

However it shakes out, the secretary of state projects the recount will be completed by Wednesday. But it’s OK if it takes until Thanksgiving – everyone knows ballots and stuffing go great together. True, only one candidate will be giving thanks to the voters on Thursday. But the other one will make a perfect turkey.