Deadline for recounts will nullify those counties' votes???

[fdiskboy]

Interesting--Florida law allows for no discretion when it comes to when certification of recounts occur. If the counties do not return certification on Tuesday, those counties' votes will not count. Four heavily Democratic counties are the only ones that are manually recounting. Has Gore inadvertantly handed Florida to Bush? I'm guessing that only the courts will tell.

(Let's not call this partisan--a Democrat and Republican in charge of certification agree that the law is very specific and does not allow for discretion on the part of the certifying body)

 

[sweetrobin]

Wow wouldnt that just kick him in the teeth if it turned out that his hand count idea finished him off ...

 

[Michael]

fdiskboy - please see my thread on the legal statutes covering this. The word used in the law is "may" which means there is a choice. Who gets to make the choice is another matter.

Here the reference:

Florida deadline law

Michael

 

[ride525]

<< Four heavily Democratic counties are the only ones that are manually recounting. Has Gore inadvertantly handed Florida to Bush >>



I'd think that the counties would turn in their most up-to-date counts at the deadline, either Tuesday 5pm or something later if decided by the courts. I wonder why this deadline is so important, if the absentee ballots are allowed until Friday.

(I really don't understand how Florida law can allow for manual recounts, but give such little time to accomplish them.)

 

[fdiskboy]

Actually though, referring to that statute, it says the returns MUST be returned by such and such date--also remember that MAY does not always imply a choice.

Obviously there will be legal debate about this, however, I take the meaning of MAY in this context to be the following:

4 : SHALL, MUST -- used in law where the sense, purpose, or policy requires this interpretation


I understand that some will see it your way, Michael. Others will not. Thus, my statement that I think the courts will ultimately be forced to decide.

 

[fdiskboy]

The deadline is important solely because it is laid down by statute.

Maybe it was done to discourage manual recounts. We use machines because they are, on the whole,
more accurate and less susceptible to human error. That would be my take on things.

At this point, I think both candidates have been seriously hurt by the whole affair. I'm just ready for it to be over.

My take? If the recounts are upheld AND the deadline is over-ruled by a court (state's right issue?) then Bush loses Florida but attempts to compensate by challenging Oregon, Iowa, and Wisconsin. What a mess.

 

[fdiskboy]

Point taken, Red.

Still important to remember for everyone chanting &quot;Democracy, Democracy! Rah, rah, rah!&quot;, that we don't live in a Democracy. Ancient Athens was a Democracy. We are a Constitutional Republic.

(And I still argue that the system is not outdated but works as intended and needed, but that's a whole 'nother subject)

 

[ride525]

<< Personally I would like to see this run it's course without any legal interfernce. I think that going the extra yard to make sure the vote is fair is a tribute to America's quest for true democracy. I have know doubt that Bush will be handed the Presidency by virtue of an outdated election process (being outdated doesn't change the fact that it is legal)

This shows the other nations around the world that we take our Democracy Seriously and that we aren't going to overlook any citizens right participate in to choosing out leader. It's just a shame that niether candidate is worthy of the extra effort we are making. >>


WOW....I couldn't have said it better, Red.......

 

[DaBoneHead]

What Red Dawn said... Ditto.

But gosh doesn't this thing feel like a hang-over that just won't go away...