November 26, 2000

Counting of ballots should be congruous

When the dust settles in our courtrooms in the aftermath of the presidential election -- optimistically assuming that there will be an aftermath -- all the Florida votes that are included should have been tallied in the same way.

Whether the determination is made by an elected official, a judge or justices, the final vote count should not be comprised of ballots counted in one way in part of the counties and another way in the rest.

That would be the outcome if the rulings go the way being sought by Vice President Al Gore. Machine recounts would be used across most of the state and hand recounts in two or three counties.

With the seeking of "intent to vote" in the partially punched computer cards in the counties tallying ballots by hand, there is no way for totals to be compared equitably from county to county.

The justices of the Florida Supreme Court said they were basing their decision to allow hand recounts on "the right of the people to cast their votes." If they found that hand recounts were necessary to protect that right, it would only follow that hand recounts would have been necessary for the whole state.

When the final tally is reached, the vote of each person in Florida should have been treated in exactly the same fashion.