Florida Maintains Hand Recount Ban
This article is from the archive of The New York Sun before the launch of its new website in 2022. The Sun has neither altered nor updated such articles but will seek to correct any errors, mis-categorizations or other problems introduced during transfer.
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Election officials said a new rule barring hand recounts in 15 counties with touch screen voting systems will remain in place until after today’s primary – despite a judge’s invalidation of the rule.
The rule will stand until a 30-day appeal period expires, the Division of Elections director, Dawn Roberts, said yesterday. In April, the secretary of state, Glenda Hood, issued a rule preventing manual recounts. Ms. Hood has said the machines don’t require a paper trail.
A coalition of government watchdogs and other interest groups sued, however, arguing state law requires provisions for hand recounts in every county no matter what voting technology is used.
On Friday, the administrative law judge, Susan Kirkland agreed, invalidating Ms. Hood’s rule. Judge Kirkland wrote that state law clearly contemplates “that manual recounts will be done on each certified voting system, including the touchscreen voting systems.”
The state hasn’t decided yet whether to appeal, said Ms. Hood’s spokeswoman, Alia Faraj.
