Ellen
The logical answer is no.
First off, the machine count differences have nothing to do with the test manual recounts.
Lets take Miami-Dade - they did a test recount in 3 precincts - which gave Gore 6 votes more than before. Now, if you are like Gore - you would argue - see take that by all the precincts and extrapolate it and I get over 800 votes , blah, blah, blah
However, any first year statistics student would tell you - that is an incorrect assumption.
The 3 precincts where the test manual recount was done in Miami Dade were heavy Democratic. Over 85% - 90% went for Gore on Election day. So, if you applied statistical laws to this, it proves that the outcome of the election if a full manual recount is done in Miami-Dade would not affect the outcome of the election - as statistically and appropriately extrapolated, the outcome of the test recount shows that actually Bush would garner more votes.
I know that will be hard for some of the lower liberal life forms on this thread to understand - but the basic concept of statistics proves this correct. If there was a net gain of only 6 votes in 3 precincts that went 85%-90% Gore - then when votes were recounted in precincts that went 50%-50% - Bush would garner 1 to 2 more votes, and in precincts which went 80% Bush - Bush would garner more than 6 votes.
Thats why Miami Dade initially rejected the full manual recount.
then after being pressured by the Dems, and changing their mind to do another count, this was actually proven out in the partial recount that Miami did complete. They first did all the Democratic districts - yielding only 150 or so votes for Gore. They halted the partial count as the Republican districts were to follow.
So, again - my initial statement stands - there is NOTHING in FLA law that REQUIRES a Full Manual recount. |
