This mess just keeps getting worse and worse. A local judge declared yesterday that the Republican suit to overturn the election will proceed, and might end up voiding the election — but he wouldn’t order a new election. Would that leave Washington without a Governor?
Bridges said in Chelan County Superior Court that allegations in the lawsuit filed by Republican candidate Dino Rossi and Republican voters, if proved at trial, would be sufficient to overturn the election. And he denied a Democratic motion to limit any challenge to issues of fraud and illegal votes, saying misconduct or neglect by election officials would also be sufficient grounds for setting aside the election.
“This case should go forward, at least at this point,”; Bridges said.
But the judge said even if Republicans prove their case, he won’t give Rossi what he has said he wants from the court: a new election.
Democrats argued he didn’t have that power, and Bridges agreed.
But Bridges dismissed the remedy requested by Rossi. Still remaining in the lawsuit is Rossi’s call to have the judge nullify the November election. That, Republicans say, would create a vacancy in the office that could be filled by a special election ordered by the Legislature.
Honestly, the whole thing is pretty confusing.
Who knows, though. If things continue in this vein, I might get to fire up my write-in campaign after all!
Update: More on this from the Seattle PI:
The only way to attain a legitimate election, Republicans have consistently argued, would be a revote — a new election between the two candidates. They specifically called for a revote in their lawsuit filed in court last month.
But with the judge’s ruling yesterday, that’s not going to happen — at least not one ordered by Bridges.
He cited state law and constitutional provisions saying that even if the election was tossed out and Gregoire removed from office, such a vacancy for governor could only be filled during the next general election in which voters are allowed to vote for the state’s executive office.
Because of special constitutional rules requiring the governor to be elected during the same election year as legislators, that could mean 2006.
“From Detroit to J.A. (full mix)” by Kleptones, The from the album From Detroit to J.A. (full mix) (2005, 1:00:02).