In a reflection of the current "Red" versus "Blue" clash of cultures in the US, local politics have become so polarized in Washington that legislators have introduced a proposal to divide the state in half, with the eastern region mostly Republican and the western portion dominated by the Democratic Party.

Many Republicans in the eastern half of the state say that they want a "divorce" from their more liberal counterparts to the west of the Cascade Mountains. The proposal, which was introduced by both Republican and Democratic legislators, reflects an intense political struggle taking place in Washington State and across the nation. The plan to break up the state seems to have widespread public support on both sides of the political spectrum but it's probably not going to be brought up for a vote any time soon.

Residents of Eastern Washington have long complained that their conservative views are not represented by the state government in Olympia. They also blame liberal King County and the Seattle metropolitan area for taking the governor's election away from Republican candidate Dino Rossi after three recounts.

Rossi had won the first two counts and the GOP claims that King County elections officials counted 1,100 votes cast by ineligible felons in the last court ordered recount. Democrat and former Washington State Attorney General Christine Gregoire was certified as governor last month by a margin of only 129 votes - far below the margin of error for the state's election system.

Contentious court battles have been taking place since the first general election in November.

Both the Democrats and Republicans have argued in favor of their candidate's case before the Washington State Supreme Court. During the first two vote counts Rossi supporters and state Republican Party chairman Chris Vance tried to block the counting of extra votes in King County. After Gregoire's certification, the GOP launched a major court challenge to Gregoire's election and at one point demanded a statewide revote.

On February 4th a judge in Chelan County agreed to allow the state Republican Party to launch a court challenge contesting Christine Gregoire's election. Judge John Bridges decision to allow the lawsuit is being hailed as a victory by Republicans, but the judge also ruled that he does not have jurisdiction under Washington State law to order an immediate revote. If the court rules that the governor was elected due to the counting of illegitimate ballots, she will be forced to step down. Washington's Lieutenant Governor will then take over until the state can hold another election in November. Meanwhile, the Washington State Patrol says that Governor Gregoire has received death threats. A man was arrested in Yakima earlier this month after he allegedly threatened violence against the governor and her family.

A case has also been brought before a local district court which challenges the election of Washington Republican Secretary of State Sam Reed. Plaintiffs in this case are attempting to recall Reed. They claim that the Secretary of State should not have certified Gregoire as governor while questions still remained regarding the legitimacy of the vote count.

Gregoire has appointed an Election Reform Task Force to study the state's election system. One of the major controversies surrounding the election concerns the use of computer voting machines manufactured by Diebold and Sequoia. In Snohomish County a hand recount was impossible because the machines have no paper trail. Many complaints were filed regarding computer "glitches" during the vote count.

In Seattle, Black Box Voting.org activists Bev Harris and Andy Stephenson were sending out warnings long before the election about the vulnerability of computer voting systems in Washington State. Election experts admit that there is no way to know who really won the governor's race. Harris and Stephenson also blame computer voting for some of the problems that plagued the 2004 presidential elections across the country.

Republicans in Washington State have accused the Democratically controlled King County elections board of fraud and incompetence. In response, State Democratic Party chairman Paul Berendt sent out a letter recently which blames national GOP operative Karl Rove for trying to "steal" the election from Gregoire. He cites other examples in various states where he says Rove and company have used the courts to overturn local elections.

More court hearings on the Republican's lawsuit contesting the election will be held in the next few weeks.