# Is it fair to only hand recount Democratic counties?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-fair-to-only-hand-recount-democratic-counties/41350>\
**Category:** Great Debates\
**Created:** [November 15, 2000, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-fair-to-only-hand-recount-democratic-counties/41350 "2000-11-15T19:34:23Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![Spoke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e57/32.png) [@Spoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoke)\
**Post date:** [November 16, 2000, 5:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-fair-to-only-hand-recount-democratic-counties/41350/21 "2000-11-16T17:07:18Z")

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**jmullaney** wrote:

> [@](#):
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> Beside the fact is that Gore knows he has absolutely no legal way to actually have a hand recount done at this point – it is well past the 72 hour deadline. The election ended at 5pm on Tuesday. Etc. He might as well be offering the moon.

You may be correct in saying that there is currently no statute on the books which would allow for a statewide hand count at this stage. I’m not sure about that and frankly I’m too lazy to research it right now.

However, even if this is the case, the hand recount could be still be done with the cooperation of Governor Jeb Bush and the Florida legislature. Jeb would need to call a special session, which could sign off on a state-wide recount.

I’m not at all certain the Secretary of State doesn’t have authority to call for a statewide hand count, even without legislative action.

Either way though, it could be done if both parties are willing.

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**Author:** ![malden](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7bcc69/32.png) [@malden](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/malden)\
**Post date:** [November 16, 2000, 10:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-fair-to-only-hand-recount-democratic-counties/41350/22 "2000-11-16T22:29:22Z")

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**JustAnotherGuy** :

1,700 out of 5,820,000 is _not_ 0.00029 percent. You are off by a factor of 100. It is actually 0.029 percent.

But your point remains.  
(p.s. _woohoo!_ 100 posts. Thus beginneth and endeth my post party.)

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**Author:** ![jmullaney](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/85e7bf/32.png) [@jmullaney](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jmullaney)\
**Post date:** [November 17, 2000, 12:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-fair-to-only-hand-recount-democratic-counties/41350/23 "2000-11-17T00:07:31Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by spoke- \*  
> Either way though, it could be done if both parties are willing.

I don’t see how. You can’t have an ex post facto law.

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