As voters enter the final hours to cast their vote in the race for the White house, Florida is attracting national attention for its history of chaos on election nights.
Investigative Reporter Katie LaGrone explains what’s changed since 2000.
THE DYNAMIC OF NATIONALPOLITICS&AND KNOWS THE CHAOSTHAT ENSUES WITH PROBLEMBALLOTS AND ELECTIONS TOOCLOSE TO CALL.
WE HAVE LIVETEAM 5 COVERAGE OF DECISION2020.TURNING TO DECISION 20-20...WE BEGIN WITH CONTACT 5INVESTIGATOR KATIE LAGRONE.KATIE IS IN TALLAHASSEE WITH ALOOK AT WHAT2000NATION HUNG ON THE STATEFAILED ELECTION SYSTEM.HERE IN THE STATEYOU CAN FEEL THE WEIGHT OF THISYOU CAN HE ENERGY OF A HIGHTHISELECTIONSTAKES BATTLEGROUND DURING ATENSION-FILLED RACETHE OFFICE BEHIND ME IS WHERETHE STATEWILL SPEND THE NIGHTMONITORING RESULTS FROM ALL 67FLORIDA COUNTIES HOPINGFLORIDAELECTION NIGHT STUMBLES STAYSIN THE PAST.PKG WHEN YOU TALK PRESIDENTIALPOLITICS IN FLORIDA& (ATTORNEYMARC FROM SILENT CAMPAIGNSTORY) 16:26- THIS ISNTHE RACE OF 2000POLITICAL CLOUD THAT STILLLINGERS OVER THE SUNSHINESTATE TWO DECADES LATER.(ELECTION ATTORNEY MITCHELLBERGER :25- THAT WAS NOT FUN.THAT WAS NOT FUN KNOWN NOW ASBUSH V GORESUPREME COURT DECISION THATDECIDED A PRESIDENCY AND LEFTFLORIDA A GLOBAL PARODY FORITS HANGING CHADS, BUTTERFLYBALLOTS, RECOUNTS AND COURTFIGHTS.
(CRAIG WATERS) 1:16-NO-ONE REALLY SAW THAT COMINGUNTIL IT HIT US IN THE FACEFEW WERE AS INTIMATELYINVOLVED IN THE CHAOS AS CRAIGWATERSCOMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR OFFLORIDABREAK- WATERS ON COURT STEPSAND BEST KNOWN FOR HISCOURT-STEP ANNOUNCEMENTSDURING THE ELECTION DEBACLE OF2000.
(CRAIG WATERS) 27:40- ITWAS LIKE A BIG CIRCUS.
WHEN ISAY CIRCUS, I20 YEARS LATERFROM ANOTHER HIGHLYANTICIPATED RACE JUST HOURSAWAY &IN A STATE AS DIVIDED&WEWANTED TO KNOW&.
26:15- KATIE-WHAT MAKES THIS YEARDIFFERENT?
ANSWER- WELL, ITTHE WHOLE MIX OF THINGS.
THECLIMATE IS DIFFERENT AND THETECHNOLOGY IS DIFFERENT.
AFTERA FEW STUMBLESITS THIRD VOTING SYSTEM SINCE2000- NO MORE PUNCH CARDS ORTOUCHSCREENS WITH NO PAPERTRAIL.
BALLOT TESTS AND POSTELECTION AUDITS ARE ADDEDSAFEGUARDSNEW LAWS-- (STAND UP IN TALLY)AFTER MORE STATE ELECTIONSNAFUS AND RECOUNTS DURING THEPRIMARIES TWO YEARS AGO&LAWMAKERS PASSED REFORMSUNIFYING HOW BALLOTS LOOKACROSS THE STATE&AND HOWTHEYTHOSE MAIL IN BALLOTSNOW HAVE TWO ADDITIONAL DAYSAFTER THE ELECTION TO FIXSIGNATURE ISSUES GOING TO BE AMISTAKE MADE ITDEFINITELY GOING TO BESIGNATURE RELATED ON VOTE BYMAIL UNLIKE MANY STATES,FLORIDA WAS ALLOWED TO STARTPROCESSING MAIL-IN 22 DAYSAGOFLORIDATROUBLESKATIE-WHATYOUR CRAIG?
ANSWER- IFEELING LIKE WE ARE AS WELLPREPARED AS WE CAN BE.
SOCIALMEDIA ADVANCES AND THE ONGOINGPANDEMIC WILL LIKELY KEEPWATERS OUT OF THE SPOTLIGHT IFTHE STATENEEDS TO GET INVOLVEDAGAIN&TWENTY YEARS LATER-20:05- I WILL BE IN ONE OF THEOFFICES IN THE BUILDING BEHINDME, WATCHING IT FROM THEWINDOW AND HOPING THAT HISTORYDOESNANY ACTION AT THE FLORIDASUPREME COURT WOULD FIRST BEFILED IN DISTRICT COURTS ANDWORK ITS WAY UP TO THE SUPREMECOURT- IF AT ALL.
LEGAL TEAMSFOR BOTH CAMPAIGNS OF COURSEARE ARMED AND READY FORWHATEVER THE NIGHT BRINGS.LIVE IN TALLAHASSEE- KL TAGOUTPALM BEACH COUNTY SHERIFF RICBRADSHAWÃTALKING ELECTIONDAY SECU
I-team Investigator Katie LaGrone is in Tallahassee with a look at what’s changed since 2000 — when the fate of the nation hung..