Bush's Lead Continues to Fall in Florida RecountUS Republican George W. Bush's lead over Democrat Al Gore fell to 403 votes Thursday afternoon in the continuing recount of 6 million presidential ballots in Florida State, U.S. TV networks reported.With ballots from 58 out of 67 Florida counties recounted, Bush's lead was shrinking inexorably, from its original 1,800 to only 403. Even with the tightening gap, Gore campaign manager William Daley Thursday said courts may find irregularities in the Florida results "an injustice unparalleled in our history." The Democrats would seek a hand recount of the ballots cast in Palm Beach, Dade, Broward and Volusia counties, Daley said. State elections officials said the current canvassing of votes should be completed Thursday, but officials must wait until at least Nov. 17 to certify the results. That's the deadline for the approximately 2,000 ballots cast by Floridians living overseas -- mostly military personnel and their families -- to arrive in the state. The ballots must be postmarked by Election Day. Gore supporters have filed two lawsuits seeking a new vote, and an emergency hearing was scheduled for Thursday afternoon in a Florida federal court. The automatic recount was triggered by state law because Bush led Gore by less than one-half of 1 percent. The recount was being conducted by all 67 county election departments. Gore claimed victory in the popular vote by less than 200,000 ballots over Bush. Gore also led 260-246 in the count of decisive electoral votes awarded by each state. With 270 needed for victory, Florida's 25 electoral votes would put either candidate over the top, leaving the outcome dependent on the painstaking recount, the split of ballots from overseas soldiers and resolution of alleged irregularities. |
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