Election for the Ages: Rossi vs. Gregoire, 2004

Chasing dreams of a governorship, two viable and sophisticated candidates Dino Rossi and Christine Gregoire-ran for Washington's top statewide post on November 2, 2004. The election resulted in an incredulous neck-to-neck split of the vote, automatically triggering a State-mandated recount. Meanwhile, intense public interest, constant media and internet coverage, and political party and grassroots arousal caused a perfect storm in the closest and longest governor's contest in American history.

Not until seven months later did Washington voters know for certain who would occupy the Governor's Mansion. After the initial election day count, two subsequent recounts, and contentious court action, the final margin in the seesaw contest was a razorthin 133 votes out of a record 2.8 million votes cast. At one time during the manual recount, with only one of Washington's 39 counties yet to report in, the candidates stood a breathtaking 8 votes apart.

An Election for the Ages presents a cliff-hanging chronology of this political standoff that gained nationwide attention. It also provides an insider's look at how Secretary of State Sam Reed and his staff supervised a heated political battle that reached beyond the Governor's race to the rules of democracy itself.