SEATTLE -- Democratic Party volunteers are frantically calling voters whose provisional ballots are in dispute, urging them to make sure their vote is counted in the state's still-undecided governor's race.
The volunteers went to work Friday night, after party officials successfully sued to get access to the names of 929 voters -- all in heavily Democratic King County -- whose ballots were questionable. They planned to keep working through the weekend.
Elections officials said there was no reason to release the names, because voters who cast provisional ballots know those ballots may need to be verified, and it's up to each voter to contact the county and make sure the vote was counted. Provisional ballots are used primarily when a voter is not at his home precinct or if registration is in question.
King County Superior Court Judge Dean S. Lum said it would burden the county little to release the names, and that state law favors openness in government. "No right is more precious than the right to vote," he said.
In tears after the ruling Friday, Democratic Party chairman Paul Berendt said volunteers would work through the weekend to contact the voters.
http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2004/11/13/democrats_call_voters_in_washington_state/?rss_id=Boston.com%20/%20News