florida recount the 2000 election “floridagate”. summary of events… nov. 7 th 2000 election...
TRANSCRIPT
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
• 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…
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