The Florida Recount

Hilary L. Hartman
Indian Harbour Beach, Florida

A week ago the citizens of this fair state stood in line at their polling places to cast their vote for the next president of these United States. Little did any of us know how decisive and divisive our individual votes would be as we waited our turn at the ballot box. Afterward most of us continued on with our daily lives, moving about under a cloudless, sunny sky, our hair blowing in a breeze which suggested a hint of saltwater from the ocean. We were oblivious to the pivotal role we had just committed in a national election.

Personally, I thought nothing of inking-in the little dot on the ballot next to my candidate of choice, for it had seemed to me that my vote, as in the past, wouldn't really matter in the overall scheme of our political machine. For once I couldn't have been more surprised how wrong I was on that fateful day, an opinion I now believe to be shared by a great many people.

We find ourselves one week later, and the man who will be president is still an unknown. Though I live nearly 200 miles north of the fiasco in Palm Beach County, the rippling effect of the voting problems in that tiny community have become a tidal wave, taking Florida, the nation and the world by storm. Talk at the diners, on college campuses, in the newspapers and on television have centered on our voting procedures, with many a finger pointed by or at the two "big" political parties and their attempts to rectify - usually in their favor - the voting question in Florida.

Furthermore, political activists are still on the street corners with their signs, proclaiming victory for their candidate. Debates have arisen surrounding the need, and revision, of our Electoral College system. Talk has turned from the candidates to our political system as a whole. Perhaps for the first time in our short history, everyone in our country has seen how important a duty we have in our right to vote on Election Day.

Remember, each of us has, in our own minds, an ideal candidate whom we think should be sitting in the Oval Office. As is the case in Palm Beach County where, according to reports by the Associated Press, some 3,200 people "accidentally" voted for the wrong candidate, while an additional 19,000 votes have been disqualified for having more than one candidate marked on the ballots. Many have questioned these voters' virtues, and their so-called "inability" to follow simple directions on a ballot designed by a Democrat and sanctioned by a Republican county commissioner.

Within the state, folks are wondering why each county has a different voting procedure, and how in the world almost 22,000 voters could have caused such a snafu. I can see honestly why some people are laughing, and I wouldn't be at all surprised if the rest of the nation booted us out of the union based on our "inability" to do something as simple as casting a vote. Yet, in our tumultuous world, is voting - like most anything - really as simple as some would have us believe? When our future is at stake, and that of our nation as a whole, nothing, even voting, can be so simple.

Each of us has a duty and a right to vote. What if you had been one of those who didn't understand the ballot as it was presented? If **you** had accidentally punched-in (filled-out, pushed, **ad infinitum**) the wrong candidate's slot, then tried to rectify the situation on your own-thus disqualifying your vote-how would you feel? When 22,000 voters in the same county makes one of these two mistakes, the situation seems rather odd and quite laughable, but cannot be easily dismissed. Yet, there are those who would have us believe otherwise, and in effect nullify those votes, and thus the rights of those voters. No matter where you live, in Ohio or Florida, should this be allowed to transpire. If so, what "right" or amendment would you like to get rid of next? I can think of several which are antiquated and of no use to me, but try to take my vote away, or disqualify it, and there will be problems.

Still, life here in Florida moves on, as will our nation. Before long Florida and the world will know the final tally of the 2000 vote and one man will rise to the new status of president of the United States. Whichever man it may be will face many more challenges than any of us could ever comprehend, and I only hope he's up to the task. If not, Floridians will get the blame when all we ever really wanted was our right to vote, the beautiful weather and a decent tan in December.