Oct. 2, 2005
King County Elections set to recount
Ballots sorted and ready for machine tabulation
A machine recount of the ballots cast in the King County Sheriff’s race will begin on Tuesday, Oct. 4. The difference between two primary candidates vying for the second ballot position in the race triggered an automatic manual recount. Under a seldom used provision of the state’s recount laws, the two candidates agreed to forgo the manual recount in favor of a machine recount of 10 randomly selected precincts in each of the 17 legislative districts within King County. Elections staff worked over the weekend hand sorting the ballots into legislative district and then the selected precincts.
As detailed in the agreement between candidates Greg Schmidt and Jim Fuda, Elections will conduct a machine recount of the randomly selected precincts beginning on Tuesday. If the recount results do not change the outcome of the race, the recount will be complete. If the initial recount changes the outcome of the race, a random sampling of ten additional precincts per legislative district will be recounted. After the second sampling if the outcome of the race is still reversed, the recount will continue until all ballots have been recounted.
"Given the very narrow difference in votes cast for these candidates, we recognize there may be a need to recount a second set of randomly selected precincts," said Dean Logan, Director of Records, Elections and Licensing. "Employees will continue to sort ballots for the second set of precincts Monday and Tuesday, while other staff begins to build the ballot for the General Election."
Ballots for the General Election must be available by Oct. 19 and in the mail no later than Oct. 21 according to state law. "Under these circumstances it will take tremendous coordination and an enormous effort to ensure everything is in place for the November General Election," said Logan.
Before performing the recount, Elections will conduct a Logic and Accuracy test of the tabulation machines beginning at 9 a.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 4. The Logic and Accuracy test is done to ensure the tabulation machines are operating correctly and that they are only tabulating votes in the race subject to recount. The recount will be conducted at the Mail Ballot Operations Satellite, located at 3901 First Ave. S. in Seattle.
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