Changes

The legacy TV networks, in a rush to be the first to present results, made false calls in Florida. Each  network used the same exit poll data, which contained a small math error for Florida.  The networks first called Florida for Gore, then for Bush. They should have said it was too close to call.  Worse (and some believe, deliberately), the networks called Florida after the polls closed in the Eastern Time Zone part of the state (which is heavily Democratic) but while they were still open in the Central Time Zone part (the Florida panhandle, which is heavily Republican due to the large military bases located there).

The legacy TV networks, in a rush to be the first to present results, made false calls in Florida. Each  network used the same exit poll data, which contained a small math error for Florida.  The networks first called Florida for Gore, then for Bush. They should have said it was too close to call.  Worse (and some believe, deliberately), the networks called Florida after the polls closed in the Eastern Time Zone part of the state (which is heavily Democratic) but while they were still open in the Central Time Zone part (the Florida panhandle, which is heavily Republican due to the large military bases located there).

One of the potential keys to Gore losing Florida was the unusual style of paper ballot used in Palm Beach County, a South Florida county which has a large Jewish population and is historically a Democratic stronghold.

One of the potential keys to Gore losing Florida was the unusual style of paper ballot used in Palm Beach County, a South Florida county which has a large Jewish population and is historically a Democratic stronghold. The ballot style required voters to choose their choice for President/Vice President by punching paper ballots; however, instead of listing all the candidates on one side, the candidates were listed on alternating sides of the ballot (in larger print to assist the large number of elderly voters; the alternating list gave rise to the "[[butterfly ballot]]" nickname).  The top of the line showing "Gore-Lieberman", however, overlapped with the ballot punch hole for the Reform Party ticket of "[[Pat Buchanan]]-Ezola Foster"; notwithstanding a clearly marked arrow directing voters to the correct punch hole, Buchanan (considered by many a notorious anti-Semite) received an unusually high number of votes in a county with a sizeable Jewish population.

 

The ballot style required voters to choose their choice for President/Vice President by punching paper ballots; however, instead of listing all the candidates on one side, the candidates were listed on alternating sides of the ballot (in larger print to assist the large number of elderly voters; the alternating list gave rise to the "[[butterfly ballot]]" nickname).  The top of the line showing "Gore-Lieberman", however, overlapped with the ballot punch hole for the Reform Party ticket of "[[Pat Buchanan]]-Ezola Foster"; notwithstanding a clearly-marked arrow directing voters to the correct punch hole, Buchanan (considered by many a notorious anti-Semite) received an unusually high number of votes in a county with a sizeable Jewish population.

The final official recount in Florida showed Bush the winner by 537 votes.  Gore supporters asked the Florida state Supreme Court to again recount votes in some counties where they thought Gore might add votes, but to ignore counties where they thought Bush would gain.  The U.S. Supreme Court ruled this strategy illegal, and the result was accepted by Gore, who indeed announced the Florida vote for Bush in his role as Vice President.

The final official recount in Florida showed Bush the winner by 537 votes.  Gore supporters asked the Florida state Supreme Court to again recount votes in some counties where they thought Gore might add votes, but to ignore counties where they thought Bush would gain.  The U.S. Supreme Court ruled this strategy illegal, and the result was accepted by Gore, who indeed announced the Florida vote for Bush in his role as Vice President.