2000 Election Reading

Pre-Reading Questions:
1. How long would an official recount actually take?
2. Would keeping the citizens in suspense after an election cause riots or violence?
3. How long could an election stay undecided?
4. How close does an election need to be for a recount to occur?
5. Did the candidates partake in the court preceding's?

Facts/Details:
1. The butterfly ballot was used in Palm Beach, where candidates names are in two columns and punch holes are in the middle.
2. Gore sought out a manual recount of all "undervotes" in four heavily democratic counties.
3. Katherine Harris was Secretary of the State at the time of the election.
4. The election was decided by a 5-4 vote in  the Supreme Court.
5. Florida's self imposed deadline was December 12th.

Post-Reading Questions:
1. How can the government change the system so this doesn't happen in the future?
2. Which are more accurate, machine or manual recounts?
3. Who was expected to win the state of Florida?
4. Did anyone expect that the election would be this close?
5. How would the recount have differed if Florida was given more time?