A vote counter should not be allowed to endorse anyone IMO. Kinda taints the process.
To be fair, that was a charge that was unfairly used against Katherine Harris in the Florida/2000 attempted hijacking. It is nothing unusual or unethical about elected state officials endorsing candidates of the same party. Doesn't mean that Dems haven't/wouldn't abuse their position (aka Washington and Gregoire) but we need to be consistent.