Counting Votes: Lessons from the 2000 Presidential Election in Florida

The 2000 presidential election changed history. This behind-the-scenes assessment of that controversial election dissects the challenging task of running an election. The essays go to the heart of the democratic experiment and examine fundamental issues about fairness and equality, presenting a strong case for the need to reform elections in Florida and nationwide.

The book features the insights and experiences of local election and political party officials in Florida involved in the 2000 election--people in the field who offer personal accounts of the events and explain the nuts-and-bolts work of elections--and essays by advocates of election reform and noted political scientists. It includes an overview of the history of elections and contemporary issues in elections and confronts outdated conventional wisdom concerning reforms.

The infamous contest left a legacy of questions, which the book answers: What was the long-term significance of the 2000 election? Are elections conducted in an accurate manner? Can we be sure of the reliability of the voting technologies, ballot designs, and officials that comprise our electoral system?

The authors prescribe remedies for the crisis and discuss their consequences and complications. The book exposes problems associated with participatory democracy and offers readers suggestions for engaging in the process and creating a new civic ethos. Counting Votes is a timely and important book for the concerned voter and election scholar alike.

Robert P. Watson is associate professor of political science at Florida Atlantic University in Boca Raton.