As he leaves office after a 40-year career, Secretary of State Sam Reed says he hopes to be remembered for promoting the top-two primary election law.

He says letting the top two vote-getters advance reduces the power of partisan politics and forces candidates to talk to independents and campaign in the middle.

A Republican, Reed told The Olympian ( http://bit.ly/UL0Coq) he angered both parties with his decisions on counting ballots in the 2004 governor's race when Democrat Chris Gregoire defeated Republican Dino Rossi by 133 votes, after two recounts and a court challenge. He says he was just doing his job and trying to be fair.

Reed's advice for incoming Republican Secretary of State Kim Wyman is to learn how to say no - even to members of your own party.

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Information from: The Olympian, http://www.theolympian.com