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System didn’t work in 2004
Jim Camden tried to reassure us in his Oct. 23 column that that the 2004 state election debacle was “an example of the system working.” I tried to keep an open mind while reading his piece regarding the Gregoire (D) win over Rossi (R) for governor. If that is an example of the system working, then I am not reassured.
The great unanswered question for many of us is why did “several counties - not just King County - discover some ballots that had been properly cast, but not counted.” His quote, “some ballots,” is misleading. Those were trays of ballots. We well remember King County trotting out trays of newly found ballots during the recount. Now we are reminded that several counties brought out trays of ballots. Why?
If you expect us to trust that the system is working, then please answer the question of why the various county election offices held back trays of ballots. That doesn’t seem like mere carelessness considering how important and sacrosanct the process is supposed to be. The system is only trustworthy when all the valid ballots are counted, at the time, and all of the time.
George Goss
Spokane