`Election for the Ages’ chronicles Rossi-Gregoire photofinish

An engaging back-stage look at the closest gubernatorial election in Washington history, “Election for the Ages: Rossi vs. Gregoire 2004, chronicles the tightest race in state history and was the catalyst for overhauling the state election system. An engaging back-stage look at the closest gubernatorial election in Washington history, “Election for the Ages: Rossi vs. Gregoire 2004, is published by Washington State University Press.

The book was written by Trova Heffernan, director of the state’s Legacy Project, according to Secretary of State Sam Reed. Heffernan previously served as Reed’s communications director.

The new book tells the searing experience from the perspective of the office of Secretary of State, Heffernan said.

“Although the candidates and their parties will have their own memories and conclusions, this is an honest effort to tell the story in a blow-by-blow fashion from the perspective of the officials who lived through it,” she said.

“This is not a comprehensive history, but we made every attempt to be straightforward, fair and impartial.”

The book is now available from WSU Press and the Office of Secretary of State, as well as booksellers and the expected listing by Amazon. The publication was announced on TVW recently, and book-signings will begin in September, along with a seminar at WSU’s Foley Institute for Public Policy & Public Service.

The wild 2004 race between Democrat Chris Gregoire, the three-term attorney general, and Republican Dino Rossi, the former state Senate budget chairman, turned out to be “the mother of all cliffhangers.”

After three tallies, both ended up with 1.373 million votes and 48.87 percent! The final margin after a halfyear court challenge was a remarkable 133 votes.

Counting the ballots was only part of the drama that unfolded in county courthouses, courtrooms and the state elections division before it was all over.

In the glare of unprecedented scrutiny, crucial shortcomings of the state’s elections process came to light.

So Reed worked with a bipartisan commission, lawmakers, the governor and county election leaders to overhaul the election system.

Reed said the election and its aftermath, including the attempts to restore voter confidence, are a significant piece of Washington’s political history and that he wanted to make sure the story was written while memories were fresh.

The book uses internal documents and memos, news accounts, materials from the state archives, interviews and court documents, as well as many photographs and political cartoons.

“I want our children and grandchildren to be able to read about this time in our history and how we responded to this unique situation, and the heavy hit that voter confidence took and how we fought our way back,” Reed said.

“Looking back, those were some amazing times, hundreds of media interviews, thousands of hits on our Web site, unexpected twists and turns, hotly contested court cases, and more. We had a duty to preserve this history.

“Best of all, we came through it all with reforms in place and a commitment to stay vigilant and to work tirelessly for elections that are fair, accurate, accessible and secure. The work goes on.”

As a result of the very close election, the state elections division, county auditors and legislature put in place 1,280 improvements to the voting process, including:

• A statewide voter database to screen out ineligible voters;

• Moving the primary earlier, to allow counties more time between the primary and general elections to process ballots and deal with any recounts or court challenges;

• All counties now must reconcile the number of ballots received and processed;

• Security at county election centers is tightened;

• Uniform statewide standards have been clearly laid out for what constitutes a voter’s intent;

• Ballot design has been greatly improved, to avoid the old “butterfly” ballot problems of the past;

• And training of election workers has been beefed up.

Published at no public expense, except for staff time, the book is the 11th title produced by The Legacy Project, the oral history program created in 2008 by the legislature within the Office of Secretary of State and its planned Washington State Heritage Center.

Two have been printed in book form and all 10 previous titles are also available free online, at www. sos.wa.gov/heritage/LegacyProject/.

Copies of “Election for the Ages” are available for $19.95 through booksellers, WSU Press (1-800-354- 7360 or online at www.wsupress. wsu.edu, and at the Secretary of State’s Office and online store at www. sos.wa.gov/store/.

Trova Heffernan can be reached at trova.heffernan@ sos.wa.gov or 360- 704-5233.