Seattle ? Washington’s Supreme Court ruled Wednesday that 735 newly discovered ballots in liberal-leaning King County must be counted, tipping the state’s closest-ever gubernatorial election toward Democrat Christine Gregoire.

The decision reversed a lower court ruling that had prevented the state’s most populous county from considering the disputed ballots.

But after seven weeks, three statewide tallies and several court decisions, the contest is far from over as talk mounts of further legal challenges — and possibly even an unprecedented statewide revote.

A hand recount completed Wednesday afternoon — but not including the disputed 735 ballots — had Gregoire leading Republican candidate Dino Rossi by 10 votes — a stunning reversal in a race that had Rossi ahead in both the original tally and a mandatory machine recount.

King County election officials plan to examine the 735 ballots this afternoon.

“It is too early to declare victory,” said Gregoire, a three-term attorney general. “Although we’re ahead right now, there are still hundreds of votes to be counted.”

Gregoire called Wednesday’s court ruling a “huge victory” for Washington and said that she hoped a winner would be determined by the end of the week because there are “huge issues facing this state, and we need to get on with it.”

Rossi’s campaign, however, has accused state Democrats of conducting a treasure hunt for votes in order to steal the election. A legal challenge from Republicans to the latest ruling is virtually assured, although what form it will take is not clear.

Both sides have brought up the possibility of asking the Legislature to intervene.

Lawmakers conceivably could ask for a revote early next year.