Republicans argued that Florida had no uniform standard for vote counting, and alleged that the constitutional rights of all voters would be violated if the Democrats succeeded in getting selective votes counted from a few counties where they felt assured Gore would strengthen his performance. There was jubilation in Tallahassee, Fla., as the Bush electors cast their votes. Other members of Florida's Electoral College hugged one another and slapped high-fives after the vote. It's like a close ballgame and the clock ticks and your team wins. Despite the Bush win, the day did display one peculiarity.
Electors are generally free to vote however they wish in many states.
Some states threaten penalties for getting out of line, though none of those fines has ever faced a constitutional challenge. Lett-Simmons cast no vote in a protest aimed at the capital's status in Congress, where it is not represented. She left her ballot blank. The capital's other two electors voted for Gore. Even though the vote totals were known by the end of the day, the U.S. Congress, sitting in a joint House-Senate session, must open and read the votes at a ceremony on Jan 6.