GOP names dubious voters

OLYMPIA – Republicans have released more than 1,100 names of alleged felons or deceased residents who the GOP says illegally cast ballots in the contested governor’s race that Democrat Christine Gregoire won by just 129 votes.

The list turned over to Democratic Party lawyers on Thursday contained the names and addresses of 1,135 reported felons and 45 people who Republicans say died before the Nov. 2 election.

“It’s one more significant piece of evidence that this past election was not only deeply flawed but that we don’t know who won,” said Mary Lane, a spokeswoman for Republican opponent Dino Rossi, who is challenging the results in court. “Christine Gregoire is not the legitimately elected governor.”

Democrats, who have intervened in the lawsuit on the side of the state and argue the election should stand, said they doubt the accuracy of the list. They also dispute whether the votes cast would have made any difference in the outcome.

Republicans “have conducted their entire case via press conference, and there’s been a lot of talk for a long time about all of these individuals, but we’re anxious to just have a chance to see how accurate their information is,” said Paul Berendt, state Democratic Party chairman.

Even if it turns out felons who did not have their rights restored did vote, Berendt said “there’s no indication these felons wouldn’t have voted for Rossi.”

Lane disputed that argument.

“You have to keep in mind that these people are criminals, and their truthfulness is not a sure thing,” she said.

Last month, Republicans announced that they had identified the illegal votes but delayed releasing the names publicly. Lane said they had to make sure they weren’t in violation of a confidentiality agreement they had to sign to get the statewide voter and felon lists. She said they were able to release the list now because they removed personal information such as dates of birth. Republicans said they obtained their felon list from the Washington State Patrol and the voter list from the secretary of state’s office.

One person identified on the felon list said she had her voting rights reinstated almost two years ago.

“I went through the whole process,” said Jessica Cliff, 27, of Richland.

Cliff, who refused to talk about her crime, said she voted for Rossi.

Another person contacted by the Associated Press said he was never convicted of a felony. Brian LaCourse, 27, of Sammamish, said he was pulled over on suspicion of drunken driving in 2003, but said the charge was reduced. He voted for Gregoire, the state’s three-term attorney general.

Bryan Cotterell, 40, was convicted of felony theft 15 years ago. He said he had his voting rights reinstated and has participated in the past six elections.

He voted for Rossi and was dismayed to hear his name was on a list released by the GOP.

“I’m just glad to have my rights back, and I’ve tried to stay out of trouble ever since then,” he said.

Lane said Republicans were confident about the accuracy of the list but acknowledged there might be some errors.

The number of alleged illegal votes is at the crux of the Republicans’ argument that the election results should be voided.

Rossi – who led after the first two vote tallies only to lose in a third, hand count of 2.9 million ballots cast – and his supporters filed suit in Chelan County seeking to void the results, alleging widespread problems and voting irregularities. Discovery continues in the case, and a trial date has not yet been set.

Democrat attorney David McDonald said he was “reasonably confident that the list is not going to hold up to scrutiny.

“We will, among other things, check the factual basis for each of the claims,” he said. “We’re not going to take them at their word. We’re going to double-check their work.”

The list was released the same day Gregoire’s election reform task force released its report with more than a dozen suggestions on how to improve the election system in the state.

Gregoire, who just returned Wednesday from the winter meeting of the National Governors Association in Washington, D.C., said that an acknowledgment of problems in the state does not mean that the legitimacy of her victory is in question.

“This is simply a recognition that once you put a microscope on the election process in literally any state in this country that you’re going to find flaws,” she said before the names were released.

Gregoire’s office declined to comment on the list Thursday afternoon.