Let me reply briefly, if I might, to Sally's question of last week.
Historically, Florida conducted its primary elections early in the year.
When I ran for the Legislature in 1968 the First Primary was held in March,
and the Runoff Primary, if needed, was held in April.  The General Election
was, of course, scheduled for the first Tuesday after the first Monday in
November.

Many in Florida thought this time schedule needlessly made the process too
drawn out.  So in the early '70s the scheduled was compressed.  The First
Primary is now the first Tuesday after the first Monday in September (even
if that means the day after Labor Day, as it did this year), while the
Runoff Primary is scheduled for the first Tuesday after the first Monday in
October.

Where a runoff is needed, a county supervisor of elections cannot create and
print the ballots for the General Election until after the October primary,
and it supposedly is difficult for the supervisors of the 67 counties to get
the ballots to their overseas voters and then have those voters return them
by the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November.  Thus, overseas
ballots are given the extra ten days to be returned.

It should be noted that generally 90% of absentee ballots are sent by the
supervisors to addresses in their own counties, to people, for example, who
are unable to get to the polls on Election Day without the assistance of
another, who will be poll watchers in precincts other than their own, or who
will just be out of the county of their residence on Election Day.  These
are all traditional legitimate reasons for voting absentee in Florida.
Additionally, there are voters like myself, who vote absentee in Florida,
because we were once resident there and have an intention of returning.  In
both of these cases, where the absentee ballots are sent to addresses within
the county, and where, as in my case, my Pinellas County, Florida, ballot is
sent to my home address in Williamsburg, Virginia, the ballots must be
returned to the appropriate county supervisor of elections by 7 p.m., when
the local polls close, on the day of the election.  Only the overseas
ballots are given the ten-day grace period.  (Also, the overseas voters
return their ballots to their respective supervisors of elections in their
home counties; they are not collected at a central overseas location.)

For what it's worth, it seems to me that the crucial time for us now is this
coming Friday, when the overseas ballots are due.  Ralph Nader anticipated
on Thursday on Fresh Air on NPR that when those votes are counted, Vice
President Gore will be declared the winner in Florida.  Historically it may
be argued that such overseas absentee ballots will be submitted by
Republicans, but the get-out-the-vote effort by the Jewish community in
support the Democratic ticket, particularly in Miami-Dade, Broward, and Palm
Beach counties this year, may tip the scales the other way this time.  This
is what Mr. Nader seems to expect, and I think he may just be right.

Again, Kindest Personal Regards to All
Hank Mallue

-----Original Message-----
From: SALLY GUNZ [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
Sent: Wednesday, November 08, 2000 8:08 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Good luck


Can someone please explain -- when they wait for absentee votes, is that
only
for overseas ones? Does this mean they literally have to wait for the
returning
office in each foreign country to forward them? So up to ten days?

My sympathies to everyone who is operating today on no sleep. It was hard
enough to turn off the TV here, I can't imagine what it was like for you
people.

Sally

"Brack, A.J.P. (T&M)" wrote:

> Imagine how it is to watch and wait for the recount in Florida while
living
> outside the US not having a right to vote!
> Antoni Brack
> (The Netherlands, Europe)
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: SALLY GUNZ [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
> Sent: dinsdag 7 november 2000 16:24
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Good luck
>
> Good luck to all our US colleagues on election day. Sounds like we'll
> all be biting our collective fingure nails long into the night -- or is
> that just a ploy to sell papers and air space?
>
> In turn you can all watch for some quick mention in late November of our
> election in your press. And if it isn't reported, let us know and we
> will provide full coverage (ie who won) on ALSBTALK.
>
> Good luck to Craig Barkacs. Wouldn't it be great to have an ALSB member
> in Congress. We can have special tours for ALSB members and hangers on!
> And Craig, we'll lobby hard for everything, have no doubt.
>
> Sally