When democrats run the place #14: Missed ballots raise questions - Gee... ya think?

By Keith Ervin
Seattle Times staff reporter
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King County election workers' discovery that 18 ballots weren't counted in the September primary has set back efforts to restore confidence in the election process and could hurt County Executive Ron Sims in his re-election bid.

That's what some political observers were saying yesterday, just two days after auditors found security problems but said officials had significantly improved the election office.

Election workers Tuesday found 16 ballots that had been left in a box and weren't counted before election results were certified last Friday. The county canvassing board had ordered that the ballots be counted that day.

Workers also found two absentee ballots that weren't counted because voters mailed them in the wrong kind of envelope, so election workers didn't realize they contained completed ballots.
The county canvassing board late Tuesday told staff to count all 18 ballots in a recount of the sheriff's race. The ballots were not counted in other races.

"I can't believe it," County Councilman David Irons, R-Sammamish, said yesterday. "They are still losing ballots inside the election office — that's the bottom line."

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