On November 8, 2000, the Florida Division of Elections reported that George W. Bush led Al Gore in the state by 1,784 votes.1 An automatic machine recount under the state election code still showed Bush ahead, by a smaller margin.2 Gore then sought manual recounts in Volusia, Palm Beach, Broward and Miami-Dade counties.3 On November 26, the Florida Elections Canvassing Commission certified the results and declared Bush the winner of the state's 25 electoral votes.4
The official results published by the Federal Election Commission give Bush 2,912,790 votes and Gore 2,912,253, a difference of 537.5 Gore contested the certification in Leon County Circuit Court, which denied relief.6 On December 8, the Florida Supreme Court ordered a hand count of 9,000 ballots in Miami-Dade County and manual recounts in other Florida counties.7 Bush applied to the U.S. Supreme Court for a stay, which it granted on December 9.8
In Bush v. Gore, decided on December 12, 2000, the Court found a violation of the Equal Protection Clause.9 Holding that any recount aimed at meeting the December 12 date would be unconstitutional, the Court reversed the Florida Supreme Court's order for a recount to proceed.10 With Florida, Bush won 271 electoral votes to Gore's 266, a majority, although he received fewer popular votes nationwide than Gore.11
George W. Bush received fewer popular votes than Albert Gore Jr., but received a majority of electoral votes. An elector from the District of Columbia "cast a blank ballot", effectively abstaining, so DC cast only 2 of its 3 electoral votes for a candidate for both President and Vice President.
National Archives, Electoral College results for 2000, archives.gov, read October 3, 2026. Quoted as published.
Sources for each sentence
Each numbered entry quotes the words that support that sentence, as they appear on the linked page.
- Back to sentence 1
On November 8, 2000, the day following the Presidential election, the Florida Division of Elections reported that petitioner, Governor Bush, had received 2,909,135 votes, and respondent, Vice President Gore, had received 2,907,351 votes, a margin of 1,784
law.cornell.edu/supct/html/00-949.ZPC.html - Back to sentence 2
of the election code, the results of which showed Governor Bush still winning the race but by a diminished margin
law.cornell.edu/supct/html/00-949.ZPC.html an automatic machine recount was conducted under
law.cornell.edu/supct/html/00-949.ZPC.html - Back to sentence 3
Vice President Gore then sought manual recounts in Volusia, Palm Beach, Broward, and Miami-Dade Counties, pursuant to Florida
law.cornell.edu/supct/html/00-949.ZPC.html - Back to sentence 4
On November 26, the Florida Elections Canvassing Commission certified the results of the election and declared Governor Bush the winner of Florida
law.cornell.edu/supct/html/00-949.ZPC.html District of Columbia 3 - 2 - 2 Florida 25 25 - 25 - Georgia 13
archives.gov/electoral-college/2000 - Back to sentence 5
Bush, George W. R Gore, Al D Nader, Ralph GPF Buchanan, Pat REF Browne, Harry LBF Hagelin, John NLF 2,912,790 48.85 2,912,253 48.84
fec.gov/documents/1732/FederalElections2000_PresidentialGeneralElectionResultsbyState.pdf - Back to sentence 6
filed a complaint in Leon County Circuit Court contesting the certification
law.cornell.edu/supct/html/00-949.ZPC.html The Circuit Court denied relief, stating that Vice President Gore failed to meet his burden of proof.
law.cornell.edu/supct/html/00-949.ZPC.html - Back to sentence 7
On December 8, 2000, the Supreme Court of Florida ordered that the Circuit Court of Leon County tabulate by hand 9,000 ballots in Miami-Dade County.
law.cornell.edu/supct/html/00-949.ZPC.html The court further held that relief would require manual recounts in all Florida counties where so-called
law.cornell.edu/supct/html/00-949.ZPC.html - Back to sentence 8
filed an emergency application for a stay of this mandate. On December 9, we granted the application
law.cornell.edu/supct/html/00-949.ZPC.html - Back to sentence 9
ON WRIT OF CERTIORARI TO THE FLORIDA SUPREME COURT [December 12, 2000]
law.cornell.edu/supct/html/00-949.ZPC.html With respect to the equal protection question, we find a violation of the Equal Protection Clause.
law.cornell.edu/supct/html/00-949.ZPC.html - Back to sentence 10
Because it is evident that any recount seeking to meet the December 12 date will be unconstitutional for the reasons we have discussed, we reverse the judgment of the Supreme Court of Florida ordering a recount to proceed.
law.cornell.edu/supct/html/00-949.ZPC.html - Back to sentence 11
Electoral Vote Winner: 271 Main Opponent: 266* Total/Majority: 538/270
archives.gov/electoral-college/2000 George W. Bush received fewer popular votes than Albert Gore Jr., but received a majority of electoral votes.
archives.gov/electoral-college/2000
Sources checked on October 3, 2026
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