Slog
News & ArtsThursday, November 5, 2009
Election What's the Recount Rule?
Posted by Eli Sanders on Thu, Nov 5, 2009 at 4:55 PM
King County Elections thought you might be wondering that right about now. According to state law, and via spokesperson Megan Coppersmith:
Machine recounts — A machine recount is required for an office or a state measure if the difference between the top two candidates or between approval and rejection of a measure is less than 2,000 AND also less than one half of one percent of the total votes cast for the candidates or the measure.
Manual recounts — A manual recount is required for a race if the difference is less than 150 votes AND also less than one quarter of one percent. There is no provision in state law for a mandatory manual recount for state measures — only a provision for a machine recount as stated above.
As of today's tally, we're in machine recount territory.
But today's tally is far from final. The total number of ballots that King County Elections has yet to count? 138,000, plus any stragglers still not delivered by the U.S. Postal service.
1
so the machine recount is automatic if the requirements are met? or do the candidates still have to request it? i.e. if Mallahan concedes ... does the count still happen?
4
those are projected returns - wait for the Friday number estimations.
You can pay for a recount in the 0.5
You can pay for a recount in the 0.5
5
hmm truncated let's try that again:
You can pay for a recount in the 0.5 < x < 1.0 range. However, doing so is too much of a Dino and will cause backlash effects on the Gov and certain others. Figure a grey area in the 0.5 < x < 0.75 range - stinks slightly but not too much..
Did that work?
You can pay for a recount in the 0.5 < x < 1.0 range. However, doing so is too much of a Dino and will cause backlash effects on the Gov and certain others. Figure a grey area in the 0.5 < x < 0.75 range - stinks slightly but not too much..
Did that work?
6
Joe Mallahan and his supporters invested too much money for them to walk away without a huge return on investment. There's no way they won't demand/buy a recount if they can.
7
...in other news, teh gays won! officially. cause the AP is never wrong.
http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/U…
http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/U…
8
Eli - where do you see that there are 138,000 votes yet to count?
I see 13,800 on the website: http://vote.wa.gov/Elections/WEI/VoterTu…
I see 13,800 on the website: http://vote.wa.gov/Elections/WEI/VoterTu…
9
What purpose does the "2000 vote difference" part of the rule serve? Machine counting errors would be at some given rate, ie a percentage of ballots counted would be counted in error, and by extension the possible number of vote reversals in a recount is a function of that rate.
If enough ballots are counted (400000), however, the vote difference could be less than %0.5 while still being more than 2000, NOT triggering a recount, when in fact the number of ballots possibly reversed in that recount could be well over 2000 since that number is based on the inherent error rate of the counting machines, not some seemingly random constant number.
Right?
(I'm glossing over the fact that a machine recount is just stupid unless they use different machines, improve the machines' error rate for the recount, or change the counting procedure in some other way. Anyone know?)
If enough ballots are counted (400000), however, the vote difference could be less than %0.5 while still being more than 2000, NOT triggering a recount, when in fact the number of ballots possibly reversed in that recount could be well over 2000 since that number is based on the inherent error rate of the counting machines, not some seemingly random constant number.
Right?
(I'm glossing over the fact that a machine recount is just stupid unless they use different machines, improve the machines' error rate for the recount, or change the counting procedure in some other way. Anyone know?)
10
#8: Typo on the WA website I'm sure...
137,025 Seattle ballots counted
164,113 Seattle ballots received so far
137,025 Seattle ballots counted
164,113 Seattle ballots received so far
11
@9 - mail-in ballots use optical readers so it's possible to have mechanical error. However, electronic votes, as we all know are way easier to hack.
Stats on uncounted are actually only final at 8pm so check again later.
Stats on uncounted are actually only final at 8pm so check again later.
12
fyi: I mailed my ballot tuesday (from Seattle) and just this afternoon it is marked as "recevied" by the county (this morning they hadn't gotten it yet).
So I'd guess that they should have all the Seattle ballots (that were mailed in Seattle) by tomorrow at the lastest. That should give us a better expected number of ballots.
So I'd guess that they should have all the Seattle ballots (that were mailed in Seattle) by tomorrow at the lastest. That should give us a better expected number of ballots.
Advertisement
Most Commented on Slog
-
Hating People Doesn't Make Them Thinner by Jen Graves
-
Los Angeles Gay Bar Bans Bachelorette Parties Until Marriage Equality Is Attained by David Schmader
-
Fill in the Blank by Grant Brissey
-
This Reminds Me of the Great Calculator Scare of the Late '70s/Early '80s by David Schmader
-
Idiot Tries to Defend Bigoted Anti-Gay-Marriage Preacher on Anderson Cooper by Paul Constant
-
Six Moms with Too Much Time on Their Hands and a Shitty Website Decide to Fight Gay Superheroes by Paul Constant
-
Why Mayor McGinn's Wife Canceled Her Family's Seattle Times Subscription by Eli Sanders
-
What the Hell Is Wrong With Seattle's Pride Parade? by Dominic Holden
-
The Saturday Morning News by Unpaid Intern
-
NYC Man Ticketed for Not Riding in the Bike Lane by Jonathan Golob
RSS
Facebook
Twitter
Comments (14) RSS