On Wed, 8 Nov 2000, John D. Giorgis wrote:
> At 06:18 PM 11/8/00 -0700, Andrea wrote:
> >I think a do-over in that county is probably the best option. Far
> >from ideal, but I don't think there is anything ideal that we can do.
> I simply cannot agree to this. A do-over would be unprecedented.
> Indeed, it would set a bad precedent. An election is something that
> happens at a specific time, by measuring voters opinions today, we
> are getting something entirely different. Votes would almost
> certainly be affected by the gravity of the situation. Turnout
> would likely be higher, this in a district that leans Democratic.
I would hope that in a new election they'd limit it to people who
voted in the previous one. There's a concern with people switching
votes from Nader. I don't know if that's more serious than the
problems with the election as it stands (based purely on number of
votes) or not. Given reports from NPR that people who noticed their
error at the polling place were in some cases (I don't know what
fraction of the 3000 this was) illegally denied the right to a new
ballot I think a do-over is the least worst option.
> At best (for Gore), we are talking about 2,600 votes. But if the Reform
> Congressional candidate really did get 2,500 votes for office, then there
> really is no solid case at all that misinformed voters in Palm Beach had
> any measurable effect on this election.
I haven't seen those numbers, and would be interested to. Do you
have a cite? If that's the case, it does make the Buchanan votes
less surprising, even if the Reform party is far less monolithic than
the Democrats or Republicans.
> God willing, Gore will win the recount, or Bush will have a 3,000 margin of
> victory after the recount, and West Palm Beach will simply be a historical
> footnote.
Unfortunately neither of those look likely; Gore's picking up a few
votes but not enough. Bush might have enough of a margin after
the overseas ballots come in, though.
--
Andrea Leistra [EMAIL PROTECTED]
"If you can keep your head while all those about you are
losing theirs, perhaps you have misunderstood the situation."
-- Daniel Keys Moran, _The Long Run_
