# Washington has still not elected a governor **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [November 17, 2004, 2:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/washington-has-still-not-elected-a-governor/275255 "2004-11-17T14:18:45Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2004, 2:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/washington-has-still-not-elected-a-governor/275255/1 "2004-11-17T14:18:45Z")
The lead has shifted several times during the election. As of this morning, Democrat Christine Gregoire is leading Republican Dino Rossi by 19 votes. ---
**Author:** ![Ponder\_Stibbons](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ponder_stibbons/32/343_2.png) [@Ponder\_Stibbons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ponder_Stibbons)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2004, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/washington-has-still-not-elected-a-governor/275255/2 "2004-11-17T14:22:50Z")
Well, that’ll keep things interesting. From what I hear, [Puerto Rico](http://www.nytimes.com/2004/11/17/national/17puerto.html?hp&ex=1100754000&en=633e75f9016bd221&ei=5094&partner=homepage) is in a similar situation. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2004, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/washington-has-still-not-elected-a-governor/275255/3 "2004-11-17T15:59:22Z")
Correction: Rossi is 19 points ahead. ---
**Author:** ![amarinth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3be4f8/32.png) [@amarinth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amarinth)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2004, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/washington-has-still-not-elected-a-governor/275255/4 "2004-11-17T17:04:19Z")
I must admit, I thought it would be Murray’s seat up in question, and the Governor was a given. The new primary severly skewed everyone’s predictions and made it harder to tell who was for what. We have a high number of absentee ballots, (I think the second highest percentage in the country) and they don’t need to be postmarked until election day. So really, it isn’t that surprising; this time four years ago, we didn’t know who the Senator was going to be - it was too close to really call. It would have made more news, if it weren’t for the fact that the country was trying to figure out who the President was going to be. ---
**Author:** ![Kyla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/eada6e/32.png) [@Kyla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kyla)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2004, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/washington-has-still-not-elected-a-governor/275255/5 "2004-11-17T18:05:26Z")
I heard on the radio that San Diego has still not elected a mayor. I expect to hear about rioting in the streets any day now. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Stranger\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/87869e/32.png) [@The\_Stranger\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Stranger_1)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2004, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/washington-has-still-not-elected-a-governor/275255/6 "2004-11-17T18:24:02Z")
I live in San Diego and I will verify that we still have yet to elect a Mayor. [Local San Diego news _cite_](http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/politics/20041117-9999-1n17mayor.html) Surf’s up though! ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2004, 2:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/washington-has-still-not-elected-a-governor/275255/7 "2004-11-18T02:34:06Z")
The latest is that Republican Dino Rossi has won by 261 votes. Since the margin is less than 2,000 votes, there will be a re-count. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2004, 2:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/washington-has-still-not-elected-a-governor/275255/8 "2004-11-18T02:38:02Z")
Or 231 votes. Something like that. ---
**Author:** ![Duckster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duckster/32/1244_2.png) [@Duckster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duckster)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2004, 3:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/washington-has-still-not-elected-a-governor/275255/9 "2004-11-18T03:40:27Z")
> [@](#): > > Libertarian gubernatorial candidate Ruth Bennett said Wednesday she “deliberately” ran her campaign to steal votes away Democrat candidate Christine Gregoire. > > It wasn’t personal, said Bennett, a Longview native who now lives in Seattle. She did it to prove a point and win political leverage for libertarian causes with the major parties. Source: [http://www.tdn.com/articles/2004/11/04/top\_story/news01.txt](http://www.tdn.com/articles/2004/11/04/top_story/news01.txt) Perhaps Washington State should send Bennett the bill for forcing the recount. ---
**Author:** ![koeeoaddi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/koeeoaddi/32/408_2.png) [@koeeoaddi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/koeeoaddi)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2004, 6:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/washington-has-still-not-elected-a-governor/275255/10 "2004-11-18T06:21:03Z")
[Looks like Rossi won by 261 votes.](http://komotv.com/stories/34018.htm) …on to the recount. ---
**Author:** ![koeeoaddi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/koeeoaddi/32/408_2.png) [@koeeoaddi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/koeeoaddi)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2004, 6:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/washington-has-still-not-elected-a-governor/275255/11 "2004-11-18T06:28:01Z")
> [@Johnny L.A.](#): > > The latest is that Republican Dino Rossi has won by 261 votes. Since the margin is less than 2,000 votes, there will be a re-count. :smack: I actually did read this, **JohnnyL.A.**. Honest, I did. This race is making me nuts.