Developments in the recount

©Associated Press

© St. Petersburg Times, published November 29, 2000

Developments in the Florida presidential election recount:

Courts

In Washington, lawyers for George W. Bush and Al Gore submitted written arguments to the U.S. Supreme Court, which is deciding on a Bush request to overturn a Florida Supreme Court ruling that allowed recounts beyond a deadline in state law. A hearing was set for Friday.

In Atlanta, the Florida Democratic Party filed a motion asking the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals to dismiss Bush's appeal, which seeks to disqualify manual recounts in Florida.

In Tallahassee:

A judge turned down Gore's request for speedy hearings and ordered 13,000 disputed ballots, sample voting booths and voting machines from Miami-Dade and Palm Beach counties brought to his court by Friday. Bush's lawyers said the ballots have been counted and it is time to wrap up the election.

A judge set up a fast-paced schedule for a Democratic lawsuit accusing Republicans of tampering with 4,700 absentee ballot applications in Seminole County, near Orlando.

Lawyers filed Florida Supreme Court briefs in a lawsuit over Palm Beach County's "butterfly ballot." Democrats said the ballot was so confusing that Gore voters mistakenly backed Pat Buchanan.

Elsewhere

Palm Beach County officials allowed Judicial Watch, a conservative legal group, to examine thousands of disputed ballots Tuesday. The group says it wants to determine what standards the county canvassing board used to determine voter intent. Democrats said the ballots are evidence and shouldn't be touched.

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