As a reminder: in 2000, the name of the winner of the presidential elections was not known until December 12.
In 2000, the presidential elections in the United States gave rise to a political-judicial soap opera whose epilogue lasted five weeks. During the campaign, Democrat Al Gore and Republican George W. Bush are neck and neck, and the three presidential debates in October change nothing.
On Election Day, November 7, Al Gore received almost sixty million votes, George W. Bush fifty million five hundred thousand. Environmentalist Ralph Nader, one of the small candidates, obtained about 3% of the popular vote. However, for the first time since 1888, the winner of the popular vote could not be the electors and, therefore, the final winner. The question is whether Gore or Bush will win Florida and its top 25 voters. There is incredible suspense, because the vote count in this southeastern state of the country poses a problem. And finally it was justice that decided.
We rewind. On the night of November 7 to 8, the conservative channel Fox News named George W. Bush as the winner, but the political scientist who said it on the air was none other than a cousin of the Republican candidate. It doesn’t matter, the other television channels continue. Al Gore asks his opponent to admit defeat. Before turning back. Early in the morning, the media recanted again. We still don’t know who won the election.
Shortly thereafter, the Florida Division of Elections declared Bush the winner by 1,784 votes out of more than 5,600,000. Gore requested a manual recount of votes in four counties. The Florida Supreme Court then ordered a manual recount and prohibited any proclamation of the results before the end of this recount, but Bush appealed to the United States Supreme Court.
December 12Just two hours before the deadline to appoint the electors in charge of electing the president, the United States Supreme Court considers by 5 votes to 4 that the decision of the Florida Supreme Court is unconstitutional. Therefore, cancel the count: George W. Bush is elected.
