Florida Officials Take Election Law To Court
By Frank J. Murray / The Washington Times
Florida Secretary of State Katherine Harris, a Republican, and Attorney General Bob Butterworth, a Democrat, have staked out opposing positions on a key Florida election law and must defend them today to the state Supreme Court. Mr. Butterworth, Vice President Al Gore's state chairman, appears to have violated his own oft-repeated rules and policies by issuing a legal opinion that contradicted a Harris ruling in a way that would help his own candidate.
Gore 'Offer': Accept Recount in Democrat Counties
NewsMax.com
Vice President Al Gore offered this evening to accept the final tally if the hand recount continues in three Florida counties - all dominated by Democrats. Gore said he would abide by the final tally in the three counties and not challenge results in other Florida counties, news services and networks reported. "We need a resolution that will be both fair and just,” Gore, appearing with running mate Joe Lieberman, told reporters from his private residence in Washington.
Police Say Florida Democrat Had a ‘Votamatic’ in His Car
By Chris Vlasto and David Ruppe / ABC News
Several days after presidential votes were tallied in what has become the hotbed of Florida’s post-election confusion, police in Palm Beach County confiscated a ballot-box mechanism from the car of a well-known local Democrat. The mechanism, called a “Votamatic,” did not contain any ballots. It’s a device used on some types of ballot boxes to punch votes through ballot cards, which are then tallied by computers.
Judge Allows Bungled Ballots
CNSNews.com
A Florida judge ruled Wednesday that Palm Beach County elections officials may count voter-bungled ballots with "partial punctures." The ruling is considered a big victory for Democrats. The "dimpled" or "pregnant" chads – those not punched through – are likely to add to Al Gore's vote total in this heavily Democrat county.
Falling Chads Threaten Florida Bush Total
NewsMax.com
The small specks of paper known as chads drop off the ballots as they are examined by recounters, thereby enabling the Democrat recounters to decide on their own who the voter, who invalidated the ballot by punching two holes, really intended to vote for and making the ballot valid, GOP lawyers charge.
Observers Say Ballots Manipulated By Examiner
By Steve Miller / The Washington Times
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. -- Carol Roberts, a de facto appointee to the
three-member elections canvassing board, is accused in the filings of
asking a Democrat observer to the count whether ballots should count
and that she "twisted the ballots and poked her finger directly in
sections of, and aggressively handled, the ballots."
Private Inspection Expected
By Paige St. John / Tallahassee Democrat
One county at a time, a conservative political watchdog group is quickly gaining legal access to Florida's contested election ballots -- with the intention of doing its own count. "We're assembling volunteers; we're getting organized," said Larry Klayman, the chairman of Washington-based Judicial Watch, which also has an office in Miami. As of Tuesday afternoon, Klayman said, Judicial Watch had received permission from 32 of Florida's 67 counties, including Miami-Dade, to review all ballots in the Nov. 7 election. Only two have said no. Leon County has not yet responded.
210 Volunteers Sign Up To Inspect Florida Ballots
Judicial Watch
Washington, DC -- Judicial Watch is mobilizing an army of volunteers, now over 210, to inspect ballots in all 67 Florida counties. The events of the last several days have demonstrated the intense partisanship in thwarting the will of the American people. In addition, without an independent inspection of the disputed ballots, the next President will lack any real legitimacy to lead this nation.
If Vote Is Tied In New Mexico, Poker Hand Could Settle It
Reuters
If the final state-certified result Nov. 28 yields a tie, New Mexico statutes require that "the determination as to which of the candidates shall be declared to have been nominated or elected shall be decided by lot." In practice, that's been one hand of five-card poker.
Florida Tally Nears, But Will It Hold Up?
By Donald Lambro / The Washington Times
The presidential election war being fought out in Florida is moving toward an endgame scenario that will produce a final, official vote count Saturday, barring some new judicial ruling to stop that from happening. The big question, once the winner is declared, is whether the state's certified vote count by Secretary of State Katherine Harris can withstand the legal and political firestorm it will likely ignite. Court rulings so far largely have reinforced Mrs. Harris' legal authority to move ahead with her announced plans to incorporate the late-arriving overseas absentee ballots into a final, statewide vote count and officially certify the winner of the state's 25 electoral votes on Saturday.
Florida Supreme Court Hostile Territory for GOP
NewsMax.com
In taking their cases against Gov. Jeb Bush’s administration to the Florida Supreme Court, four Democrat-dominated counties have dragged the GOP into a fight on what has been hostile territory for Republicans. Past relations between Jeb Bush’s administration and the state’s highest court have been less cordial than the relations between the feuding Hatfields and McCoys.
Military Absentee Ballots
D.M. Giangreco and Kathryn Moore / The Washington Times
One of the oft-repeated lines Al Gore used to beat back charges that he was a big government man was "we've shrunk the federal government by over 300,000 jobs" under the Clinton-Gore administration. George W. Bush never challenged this statement during the presidential debates but as U.S. military personnel across the globe are only too well-aware, these cuts have come either exclusively or almost exclusively from the armed services. Ironically the question of who will become the next president of the United States may hinge on this Friday's Florida count of several thousand absentee ballots mailed by service men and women overseas.
Senate Balance Hangs on Wash. Absentees
UPI
WASHINGTON (UPI) – The U.S. Senate balance between Republicans and Democrats hinged Wednesday on an estimated 182,000 uncounted absentee ballots in Washington state, where Republican incumbent Slade Gorton and Democrat challenger Rep. Maria Cantwell remain in a close race. Of particular importance are 75,000 ballots from heavily Democrat King County.
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