USA: FLORIDA SUPREME COURT POLL VERDICTS ANNOUNCED

(12 Dec 2000) English/Nat
In twin victories for George W. Bush, the Florida Supreme Court has ruled that 25-thousand absentee ballots challenged in two Florida counties should count in the state's contested presidential election.
In the Seminole County case, more than 15-thousand absentee ballots were challenged and in Martin Country more than 10-thousand were challenged.
On two 6-0 opinions, the justices upheld the rulings of two state judges, both of whom had said the ballots should count even though local election officials had permitted Republican party supporters to add information to their absentee ballot applications.
The effect of the rulings was to validate votes which - if discarded - would have let Al Gore overtake Bush in the state that stands to pick the next president.
The court's ruling served to heighten interest in the U-S Supreme Court's deliberations in a related case, this one concerning the partial manual recounts in the state.
SOUNDBITE: (English)
\"Hello, I'm Craig Waters, spokesman for the Florida Supreme Court. I have two matters to announce. First - the court has issued its opinion in the case of Harry Jacobs versus Seminole County Canvassing Board challenging certain absentee ballots. The trial court in this case found that the evidence does not support a finding of fraud, gross negligence or intentional wrong doing in connection with any absentee ballots. Today the Supreme Court affirms this finding. In doing so the court does not in any sense condone the irregularities noted by the trial court in the way applications for absentee ballots were handled. However, these irregularities do not require the voiding of all absentee ballots. The vote in this case was 6-0 with Justice Leander J Shaw Jr recused. Second - the court also has decided the case of Ronald Taylor versus Martin County Canvassing Board also challenging certain absentee ballots. The trial court in this case concluded that there were irregularities but that they did not reach the level of fraud or intentional misconduct. Accordingly the trial court found that the sanctity of the ballot was not impaired. Based on the rule of law explained in the Jacobs case that I just mentioned to you - the Supreme court has affirmed the trial court's order. The vote again was 6-0 Justice Leander J Shaw Jr recused. Paper copies of the opinion will be available at the front door as soon as possible and copies will also be posted on our website as soon as possible. Thank you.\"
SUPER CAPTION: Craig Waters, Florida Supreme Court spokesman

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