Florida’s election system: From hanging chads to national model
Marcus manages the day-to-day editorial workflow across all brands, coordinating coverage assignments and ensuring editorial standards are met. He previously served as city editor at the Pioneer Press and holds a degree in Political Science from Carleton College.
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If you were around for the 2000 presidential election, you remember the image: an election worker in South Florida, hunched over a punch card ballot, squinting to see if that tiny piece of paper — called a chad — was actually punched out.Voters were trying to choose between George Bush and Al Gore, and it wasn’t easy. Some chads were only half punched through. Florida became the butt of jokes heard across the country.More than two decades later, many now consider Florida to have one of the most efficient election systems in the nation.Rain, flooded precincts, and last-minute changesThis year’s election was not without its challenges. Up to 28 inches of rain fell on Central Florida Sunday and Monday, forcing more than 20 precincts across eight counties to relocate.Florida Secretary of State Cord Byrd said the plans election officials made Monday night had to change again by Tuesday morning.“We got up Tuesday morning, and even before polls opened we’re being told, ‘Hey, this one that we