Secretary of State Sam Reed and author Trova Heffernan photographed during the book launch for “An Election for the Ages: Rossi vs. Gregoire, 2004.”  Photo courtesy of Ben Helle.

Secretary of State Sam Reed and Washington State University Press have launched “Election for the Ages: Rossi vs. Gregoire 2004.” The new book recounts the twists and turns of the state’s closest vote for governor in its history, as told from the perspective of the Office of Secretary of State and election officials to experienced it.

As you’ll remember, Republican former state Senate budget Chairman Dino Rossi led the balloting at the end of the regular count and the first recount, and then Democrat Christine  Gregoire won a hand-count by just 129 votes!  It was the closest governor’s race ever — .0047 percent apart, just a fraction of one vote per precinct separating them.

The new book, not published at public expense, was written by Trova Heffernan, a former television journalist and Reed communications director who now heads The Legacy Project. Copies are available from the State Seal Store at the Capitol, booksellers, and WSU Press, for $19.95, plus shipping and handling.

Reed headlined a rollout event in his Olympia office Thursday, regaling the audience with experiences of living through an election that has been called “the mother of all cliff-hangers.” Other speakers were Trova Heffernan, former Snohomish County Auditor Bob Terwilliger, Deputy Solicitor General and elections expert Jeff Even,  and longtime elections official John Pearson, who helped research the book.  TVW taped the event; check for airtimes.