Recount the votes in Washington
Only 87 percent of the votes were counted in Washington State's GOP presidential caucus, closely contested between former Ark. Gov. Mike Huckabee and US Sen. John McCain. According to The Washington Post, Huckabee has filed a complaint disputing the results, while McCain says he's confident in his win.
Not counting all the votes is barely acceptable when one candidate is so far ahead that it's impossible for the others to catch up. But McCain and Huckabee were separated by only 242 votes.
The remaining 1,500 votes could have turned the election on its head, but for some reason didn't make the cut. According to The Washington Post, Luke Esser, the Washington State Party Chairman, said that even if 100 percent the votes were counted, he was confident the results would be the same.
Major media outlets such as CNN.com and FoxNews.com, have followed suit, projecting McCain as the winner for the Washington State Primary, despite the controversy.
Conversely, US Sen. Barack Obama had a commanding lead over US Sen. Hillary Clinton in Washington's primary, so only 96 percent of the precincts reported. The race for the Republican Nomination isn't as closely contested as the Democratic one, but candidates need a fair shot. Even more importantly, the voters deserve to be recognized.
The right to vote has been a pillar in American society, something many oppressed groups have fought for throughout history. Part of the reason people perform their civic duty is that they expect their voice to be heard. The voters need to be respected for their contribution, or else they'll feel their choice doesn't matter in future elections.
A projected win is not a win until all the votes are in.
In case you missed it
SA petitions are available for the General Election
It's election season again - petitions to run for Student Association offices are available in 350 Student Union. This year, SA is again doing its darndest to make sure word gets out.
On our second page, right across from this very editorial is SA advertising for the election petitions. Don't worry if you didn't see it at first - it's smaller than an index card.
The ability to run for SA office is a right every undergraduate student has. Despite the ad that SA ran in The Spectrum last year, and the open call for candidates, very few students submitted their names.
If you're thinking of running, here's your chance. The odds are in your favor.
Last year, there was no formal election for SA's Senate because too few candidates showed up. Those did held their own election.
As students with an interest in who runs next year's Fall Fest, those eligible and interested should head to the Student Association office. So in case you didn't see that ad and miss the next few, here's hoping our public service announcement got your attention.
Photo: Courtesy of Laron Fomby
