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Questions and answers about the Florida Recount |
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November 20, 2000
WASHINGTON--(UNB/AP) - Qeustions and answers about the recount in Florida to determine whether Republican George W. Bush or Democrat Al Gore will win the state's 25 electoral votes - and the presidential election: Q: Why all the counting? A: Tallying ballots takes time. On election night, states provide unofficial returns. In the days and weeks to come, the numbers get more precise as local jurisdictions "canvass" - or examine in detail - the those ballots, and absentee ballots are added to the total. In Florida, hand counts are under way in Palm Beach and Broward counties. On Friday, the Miami-Dade County board chose to begin a manual count Sunday. The three counties represent more than 1.7 million of the nearly 6 million ballots cast Nov. 7.
Q: What do the candidates want to happen with the counts? A: The Bush team says the recounts are unfair because they introduce human error, and supporters have suggested the ballots can be altered, even unintentionally. Bush wants the winner chosen based on a machine recount of ballots completed last week, as well as overseas absentee ballots. Gore supporters say it is only fair that the state take the time to recount the ballots by hand and ensure each voter's intention is understood. Machines are not perfect, they say.
Q: What is going on in the legal battle? A: Both sides are in state courts, as well as a federal court with jurisdiction over Florida. Early Friday, state Circuit Judge Terry Lewis issued an order that gave Secretary of State Katherine Harris the go-ahead to disregard the results of manual recounts in two heavily Democratic counties. Gore then appealed to the Florida Supreme Court. The justices prohibited Harris, a Republican, from declaring a winner on Saturday, once the overseas ballots were tallied. The justices ruled she had to wait until further notice to certify the votes, which would effectively name the president. A hearing was set for Monday, allowing the manual recounts to continue. Also, a federal appeals court denied Bush's request to stop hand counts in Palm Beach and Broward counties.
Q: What is a chad? A: A chad is the little piece of paper or cardboard that is punched out of a ballot when someone votes. Occasionally, the paper does not come out cleanly. It may hang from a corner or more. In some cases, the perforation may just be indented, creating a pregnant or dimpled chad. State circuit court judges have ruled that counters should look at the totality of the ballot to decipher a voters intention. In other words, if the chad is pregnant, the vote may count.
Q: Could there be a second vote in Palm Beach County? A: Citizens have sued to request a second vote because they thought the county's butterfly ballot was confusing, with two columns of candidate names and small holes to punch running between them. Some people may have voted for Reform Party candidate Pat Buchanan when they meant to vote for Gore. A circuit judge held a hearing Friday on several combined citizen lawsuits. Judge Jorge Labarga said he will decide this week if the U.S. and Florida constitutions would even allow a second vote.
Q: When will the Florida race be over? A: The recounts could take a while. Miami-Dade County planned to take 10 days to count the ballots, resting only on Thanksgiving Day, a holiday next Thursday. Officials hope to finish by Dec. 1. In Palm Beach County, officials hoped to finish by midweek. And Broward County officials hoped for 2200 GMT Monday. In the courts, appeals could go to the U.S. Supreme Court, which could decline to hear any appeal. In addition, after the final vote is certified, the losing candidate could file a new court challenge, arguing that enough valid votes were rejected to put the results in doubt. The Electoral College, the body that officially elects a president, meets on Dec. 18.
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