Two suits filed in Tallahassee allege race discrimination. Predominantly Democratic, Jewish and African-American neighborhoods in Palm Beach County posted some of the highest proportions of votes for Reform Party candidate Patrick Buchanan in Florida, according to a Herald analysis. Many voters have said they were confused by the ballot design and didn't know whether the hole they were punching in the ballot meant they were voting for Vice President Al Gore or Buchanan. Hundreds of voters from those neighborhoods and others took to the streets Thursday and rallied with the Rev. Jesse Jackson to demand a revote. Many of the lawsuits also call for a new election, arguing that the 3,407 votes for Buchanan stemmed from a ballot that robbed Gore supporters of their constitutional right.
More lawsuits are likely.
Statistical analyses seemed to bolster allegations that the ballot caused confusion that may have cost Gore thousands of votes. In contrast, Buchanan garnered one vote for every 167 for Gore elsewhere in Florida. Even Buchanan said it's unlikely he drew that many votes in Palm Beach County. Another 10,000 ballots recorded no presidential vote. Circuit Judge Kathleen Kroll signed a preliminary injunction Thursday that bars the Palm Beach County canvassing commission from certifying the final recount results for the presidential election until a hearing set for Tuesday afternoon.