Margin of error in Florida

[IBhacknU]

Florida Attorney General Bob Butterworth tells CNN that a recount is "automatic" in Florida if the margin between two candidates is within 1/2 of 1 percent.

Is this another way of saying that there is up to a 1/2 percent margin of error in the tabulated votes?

Exactly how many votes may have been counted incorrectly?

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[FettsBabe]

Good question, but I don't have a good answer.

 

[StageLeft]

No its not because unlike a poll these numbers represent ALL votes, not just a small pool of votes and then trying to estimate what it would be if everyone voted. I'm aware that half the people who are eligible do not vote but who gives a damn about them, nothing you can do with these numbers.

If only 50 people were polled for bush vs. gore you margin of error would be high but if you polled everyone, there is no margin of error.

This .5% margin is just so that there is a re-vote and people can then take the final result and use that - because it will be like saying &quot;Come on people this is really really close, everyone of you should get out and vote!!&quot;

Oh, and regarding incorrectly marked ones I suppose that that could represent some margin of error, I kind of ignored that point with the above

 

[IBhacknU]

Are you saying there should be a re-vote?

 

[StageLeft]

Yeah I would agree there should be one anyway - if the difference is so small - i mean damn only a few thousand people? Out of millions? The state should encourage everyone to vote now, just on the off-chance that perhaps republicans are inherently lazy or something and thus more of them don't vote than should

 

[FettsBabe]

I believe there should be unless they can prove votes were not tampered with.

 

[fdiskboy]

Hmmm, it was close, let's all vote again.

=)

I think we schedule an election day for precisely this reason. To vote that day.

As far as people being confused by the ballot, while I sympathize, there are always people at each polling site to assist those who ask for help in voting. For those that can't read or are blind or handicapped in some other way. If the ballot was genuinely confusing, they should have asked for help. Period. It's like walking out of the bank after cashing a check and coming back two hours later complaining that you've been shorted a thousand bucks. It's hard to believe you didn't notice sooner, and basically you're screwed.

 

[IBhacknU]

I think that's wrong. If you live in Florida and decided not to vote, you missed your chance. IF (big IF) they were to have a re-vote, I would hope it was only open to people that voted in the first election.

Even that is BS though, as everyone who truly intended to vote 3rd party (not the mistake votes) is gonna vote for Bush or Gore.

They've got all the ballots, recount them and declare a winner!

 

[cxim]

a re-count is not a re-vote !!

On election day, everthing is hurried &amp; somewhat chaotic. mistakes are possible.

a re-count is designed to count the origional ballots again, in a calm very methodical manner.

 

[IBhacknU]

I agree, a re-count is the only way to go. They're saying it should be official by Thursday evening. I only hope the take the care and time to do this right.

Also, if the margin of error is less than 2000, the additional overseas votes may come into play?

 

[Russ]

Re-counts rarely change outcomes, so it will still be Bush. But, it sure makes for an exciting damned election! We have lived history.

Russ, NCNE

 

[IBhacknU]

I hope going forward, this really does help to get the voters out there. People will say, &quot;Remember 2000? Every vote counts!&quot;