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Washington state just recounted its closest race in state history, hand counting every ballot cast for Commissioner of Public Lands in the primary election last month. Democrat Dave Upthegrove will face Republican Jaime Herrera in November’s general election after Upthegrove beat out third place Sue Kuehl Pederson by a mere 49 votes.
What the recount process proved is something many of us have always known. Election integrity is alive and well in America.
The Pend Oreille County Auditor’s office hand counted all 4,584 ballots cast in the August primary and found no discrepancies with the results of the machine tabulated counts. Statewide, a total of 1.9 million ballots were hand counted. The difference between machine tabulation and hand counts was two. Two votes. Out of 1.9 million.
Pend Oreille County Auditor Marianne Nichols – a Republican – emphasized the importance of the recount as part of the democratic process.
“This recount was an important undertaking, and (my staff’s) dedication to accuracy and transparency truly stands out,” she said. “The absence of discrepancies further reinforces the accuracy of the initial count, upholding the confidence of Pend Oreille County voters in the election system.”
Meanwhile, however, 63 valid votes in Pend Oreille County were thrown out last week, after local Republican Party leadership challenged the election of two Republican Precinct Committee Officers, going so far as to claim that Pend Oreille County Commissioner Brian Smiley is an “outsider” and not an actual Republican. (Smiley was born and raised in Pend Oreille County and has served as county commissioner as a Republican for the last four years.)
We believe that election results should stand. Registered voters chose Seaney and Smiley. They should be who represent the voters.
The case was brought by Republican Party Chairman Bill Deilke because local party bylaws require POCs belong to the party. Smiley ran for PCO unopposed and Seaney ran against William Bisson.
Seaney won 63-14. Neither Smiley nor Seaney have paid local party dues this year. Smiley has in the past but Seaney’s only argument for being a Republican is that he has voted that way. Superior Court Judge Jessica Reeves ruled that because Smiley has been elected as Republican county commissioner and paid dues in the past he can continue on as PCO. Seaney however, cannot.
Sixty-three of Seaney’s neighbors want him to represent them within the Republican Party. What the voters say should go.
-MCN
