Reply #83: Overvotes [View All]

[Qutzupalotl]

Overvotes are defined as having more than one candidate marked. Most of the overvotes in FL 2000 were the result of people writing in the name of their candidate in the write-in area as well as filling in the candidate's oval above. In those cases, the voter's intentions are clear. The machine throws it out, but a human can "divine" the intent of the voter. (Heavy sarcasm directed at James Baker III.) Had these been allowed to be counted, Gore would have won.

Florida statutes say that "the intent of the voter" is the determining factor, so in my opinion the dispute about dimpled/pregnant/3-cornered chads is irrelevant. The intent of the voter is usually quite clear when the ballot is examined.