Troubled Florida Election Process

* I’ve heard it said that history will not look kindly upon a Gore presidency because it would mean overturning the certification of a president-elect. How will history view a certification based on numbers that a nation knows to be inaccurate? The term “rush to judgment” comes to mind. Because the election results were so close, every step must be taken to truly look at the Florida votes. Having the wrong candidate inaugurated because it was timely and convenient would make a mockery of our election process.

FRANCES ALET

Calabasas

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* Give up, Al Gore! You are undermining the election process, the laws and the economy. You have set a terrible example for politicians to litigate and abuse the courts. You have embarrassed yourself and the nation. You and Jesse Jackson have fomented disunity and attacked the morale and confidence of voters. You do not deserve to be president; you have lost.

LELA SATTEFIELD

Oceanside

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* We are all used to unfunny cartoons, but Michael Ramirez’s depiction of a baseball-playing “Little Al Gore Jr.” (Nov. 29) as a sore loser was particularly leaden and irritating. If only George W. Bush were equally interested in ensuring a “good game” had been played, the country could legitimately move forward without a bad taste in our mouths. Bush wants to bring us together? He’s certainly off to a lousy start.

REGAN KIBBEE

Venice

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* Since Gore got more votes in the election than Bush, and more electoral votes in all the other states too, it’s easy to understand why Bush doesn’t want all the ballots counted in Florida. What I don’t understand is why Gore is continually asked if it’s time for him to concede. Isn’t it time some intrepid reporter asked Bush if it isn’t time for him to concede the election--you know, “for the good of the country,” to say nothing of the good of democracy?

HEIDI M. ANDERSON

Costa Mesa

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* Bush supporters’ new mantra is that all the uncounted Florida votes for the presidential race are actually “no-votes” for president. Isn’t it odd that they don’t want those same ballots examined individually to prove them right?

RUSS JOHNSON

Garden Grove

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* If Florida legislators sincerely intend to appoint their own slate of electors solely to ensure that the state of Florida is represented in this year’s electoral vote, as they contend, wouldn’t the only fair thing be to appoint 13 Republicans and 12 Democrats, given the razor-thin and disputed margin “certified” by Secretary of State Katherine Harris?

DAVID S. OLSON

Pacific Palisades

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* The first action that the new president, whoever he is, should take is to create a commission to study our electoral process. I suggest President Carter to head the commission.

The allegations are about uncounted ballots, rejected overseas ballots, political parties busing people to demonstrate, allowing party people to tamper with absentee ballots, disenfranchised military personnel, elected officials arbitrarily certifying an election, courts making laws, candidates hiring lawyers to stop vote counting, officials stopping counting because they run out of time, newspeople spinning the facts (while increasing their ratings) and legislators threatening to nominate electors no matter what the final tally is. Is this an objective process? We hear that these things happen in other countries, but here? In the United States of America?

Not only has it been a close election, but also, the people are more polarized than ever. Are there any Republicans interested in finding out what the final Florida vote tally really is? Are there any Democrats who feel that, fairly or unfairly, the process should be terminated? Does anybody doubt that if the Florida votes had been fully counted, Gore would be the winner?

GEORGE DOMINGO

Pasadena

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* I do not want to see Gore wrapped in our flag or in an Uncle Sam suit. It’s over! Pull him off the stage!

JEAN WOLK

La Costa