Silicon Investor (SI) -- The First Internet Community

STOCKTALK

We've detected that you're using an ad content blocking browser plug-in or feature. Ads provide a critical source of revenue to the continued operation of Silicon Investor. We ask that you disable ad blocking while on Silicon Investor in the best interests of our community. If you are not using an ad blocker but are still receiving this message, make sure your browser's tracking protection is set to the 'standard' level.

Politics : PRESIDENT GEORGE W. BUSH -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: JDN who wrote (79137)	11/17/2000 6:27:38 AM
From: Mao II	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 769669

JDN: Not only will it stand up in court, it was specifically allowed by the court: Florida court: Board has discretion to count partially punched ballots November 15, 2000 Web posted at: 12:39 p.m. EST (1739 GMT) PALM BEACH COUNTY, Florida (CNN) -- A Florida court ruled Wednesday that the Palm Beach County Canvassing Board could count ballots with so-called "dimpled or pregnant chad." Election officials had delayed continuing the manual recount of ballots in the county because of confusion over whether to count ballots that have been punched, even if the tiny piece of paper next to a candidate's name was not detached. After hearing arguments, Judge Jorge Larbarga of the 15th Judicial Circuit for Palm Beach County said in an oral order that the "election process says that no vote is to be declared invalid or void if there is a clear indication of the intention of the voter." Attorneys representing the Democratic Party said some Palm Beach County voters would lose their right to vote if election officials do not count ballots with dimpled or pregnant chad. Labarga agreed, ruling that the present policy of a "per se exclusion" of ballots without a "partially punched or hanging chad" is not in compliance with the intention of the law. He ruled that the West Palm Beach County Canvassing Board has the discretion to rule on the validity of individual ballots. Attorneys representing Gov. George W. Bush had argued that state and county election officials, not the courts should decide the issue. They said it was an issue of separation of powers. "It's not the place of the court to stand over the shoulder of the canvassing board," said Bush attorney Barry Richard who attended via telephone. cnn.com