Florida Recount

The 2000 Election

“FLORIDAGATE”

Summary of Events…

• Nov. 7th 2000 ELECTION DAY-

Everyone knew…the race would be tight. But what they didn’t expect was that the winner would not be known for the next 5 weeks.

Summary of Events

• Early on the evening of Nov. 7th:

The election was hinged on one state:

Summary of Events

• By approximately 9 PM that evening, the news networks projected that GORE was winning Florida…and would become the next President.

• Networks used “exit polls” to make their call on who was winning the election.

Summary of Events

• Early morning (Nov. 8th now)

• FOX news calls the election in favour Bush

• Other news networks also then followed.

• By 3AM, Gore was ready to concede the election but………..

Summary of Events

• Gore’s campaign advisors noticed VOTING IRREGULARITIES in many voting districts in Florida.

• By 3:45AM Gore announces that he wants a RECOUNT in Florida…the drama begins!

Voting IRREGULARITIES

1. BUTTERFLY BALLOT

Can you see the confusion?

Who do you think would be “confused”?

Voting IRREGULARITIES

2. The PUNCH CARD/CHAD

“CHADS” are a paper ballot whereby a voter will “PUNCH” a hole into the paper next to their desired selection. The CHAD is then placed in a reader that reads which holes have been punched and generates a result.

The HANGING CHAD

• Unfortunately, the CHAD system was not reliable. Below are the irregularities of this system:

1. Hanging Chad- punch hole hangs from one side of the ballot

2. Swinging Chad- punch hole hangs from two sides

3. Tri-Chad- punch hole hangs from three corners

4. DIMPLED Chad- hole was not punched but the voter placed a “dimple”

African-American DISENFRANCHISEMENT

• In Florida, “black” voters were 10 times more likely to be “disenfranchised” from voting than whites…that is, were denied the vote from the “system”.

• To vote, you must be registered…you could be denied registry if you are in jail or are a felon…

• Many African-Americas in Florida, whose names were “similar” to criminals were removed from the voter rolls…

How were they removed?

• If a criminal in a Florida penitentiary named Jonathan Franklin…he would be removed from the list…and….

• If someone living beyond the prison walls had the same name and or was named JOHN Franklin, they would have their name removed…

The Problem then was……?

Should there be a RECOUNT?• A central figure in this was Katherine

Harris…the secretary of state of Florida

• As Secretary of State, she “represented” the state in any federal issues…the position is symbolic but here was a case of being at the right place at the right time

Recount denied..

• Originally, Harris denied a recount…this was overturned by the Florida Supreme Court which allowed recounts in selected voting districts…

• The result…Gore narrowed the slim lead held by Bush

Timeline of the recount

• The recount continued until it was appealed and then stopped…this would continue well into December.

• Bush’s initial lead in Florida was 2000 votes…by the time the “INCOMPLETE RECOUNT” was halted by the Supreme Court (the lead was narrowed to 154 votes…)

Gore Concedes

• Dec. 12th 2000 (5 WEEKS after the vote)

Gore…states

Bush’s…acceptance

The Aftermath…

• How would such an election affect the future of America?