Wednesday, January 19, 2005

Jan. 20, 2005, is a BIG day in electoral politics

Thursday, Jan. 20 is a big day when it comes to the election results. George W. Bush will be inaugurated for the second and final time at noon, Eastern time. Meanwhile, about 30 minutes earlier, here in Wenatchee at 8:30 a.m. Pacific time, Chelan County Superior Court Judge John Bridges will hear a request from Republicans to speed up the time period for finding information in the case to set aside the election because of how it was conducted. The state Democrat and Libertarian parties have joined the suit as defendants, by the way.

The Republicans allege that ballots were mishandled, that votes were cast illegally by prisoners or by those who were deceased, and that provisional ballots were improperly included in the tally before the voter's registration could be validated.

According to The Wenatchee World, Judge Bridges will consider allowing some of the 39 Washington counties to leave the lawsuit as well as House Speaker Frank Chopp and Lt. Gov. Brad Owen, who are in the midst of the 105-day legislative session. A timeline will also be set. We could be luck, of course, and Judge Bridges could dismiss the whole thing. I doubt it.

Stay tuned, folks. Bush II: The Next Chapter begins Thursday, and Washington Election 2004.2 -- Rossi's Revenge -- moves forward. More to come, fer shure.

-- Wenatchee, Wash.

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