Recount Ordered in Washington

O L Y M P I A, Wash., Nov. 27 -- Washington State will recount its ballotsin the U.S. Senate race, but state officials don’t expect aFlorida-style fiasco.

Washington Secretary of State Ralph Munro says it should beorderly and dull.

“We don’t have hanging chad or anything. That was taken care ofbefore the count,” he said.

“It’s not very exciting. It’s kind of like watching grassgrow.”

Munro ordered a recount today in the Senate race and one otherstatewide race with a margin of less than one-half percent, asrequired by state law.

Slim Lead for Cantwell

In the U.S. Senate race, Maria Cantwell, 42, a high-techmillionaire and Democrat, leads incumbent Republican Slade Gortonby 1,953 votes, or .08 percent.

Washington’s recount should not spark debates about dimpledballots and voters’ intentions, Munro emphasized. No new ballotswill be added during the recount and none will be thrown out —they’ll just be run through the machines again.

The recount should take about a week, said state ElectionsDirector Gary McIntosh, although smaller counties may finish theirrecounts in a day. King and Pierce counties planned to start theirrecounts today, with the other counties starting later in theweek.

County canvassing boards will administer the recount. Observersfrom both parties, the candidates and the public are allowed towatch.

Only 16 of Washington’s 39 counties use punchcard ballots. Therest use “optical scan” ballots in which voters mark circles witha pencil or pen to register their choices.

U.S. Senate Could Be Split

A win for Cantwell would put the U.S. Senate in a 50-50 tie, itsfirst even split in a century. Under a George W. Bush presidency,his running mate, Dick Cheney, would break ties in the Senate. IfAl Gore wins and Sen. Joe Lieberman becomes vice president,Connecticut Gov. John Rowland would appoint a Republican to fillthe vacated seat, leaving the GOP with a 51-49 majority.