GOP: Media Find Ballot Count Flaws

Palm Beach Votes Targeted By Republicans Were Not Accepted By State

WEST PALM BEACH, Updated 2:09 p.m. EST January 4, 2001 -- The Palm Beach County Republican Party announced Thursday that the media's manual review of the Palm Beach County ballots found that 28 votes for Gore were not legal.

However, because of the Florida Supreme Court deadline, the votes were never added to the tally.

"These ballots ultimately were not awarded to Al Gore," Carlos Muhletaler, vice chairman of the Republican Party of Palm Beach County, said in a statement. "Even though the local canvassing board did a better job here than elsewhere, yesterday's media inspection clearly reveals the flaws inherent in the manual recounts."

The ballots are being inspected by the media and the public after the U.S. Supreme Court ordered the manual recount to cease after it ruled that many counties were including illegal votes.

The manual review also found one vote for Bush that should not have been counted.

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