Dimpled Chad Day is observed on January 4 of every year in memory of the infamous punched card voting ballot. It serves as a reminder of the tumultuous 2000 U.S. Presidential election and the role that seemingly insignificant pieces of paper, known as "chads," played in determining the outcome.
Different types of chads: a) clean punch, b) hanging chad, c) dimpled chad.
What is a Chad?
A chad is a small piece of paper that’s punched and removed when a hole is made in cardboard via a machine or with the force of hand. The word's use dates to at least the 1930s when it was used in relation to teletype paper. When the chad is not removed completely, though, it is called a dimpled chad.
More specifically:
- A hanging chad is a fragment from a punch-card ballot paper which has not detached fully, resulting in an incomplete and therefore invalid ballot paper.
- A dimpled chad still has all of its corners attached, but it has an indentation, appearing as if someone tried to punch it out. These are also known as pregnant chads, although this name sometimes implies they are more indented than dimpled chads.
The 2000 Presidential Election: A Nation on Edge
The 2000 presidential election was fought between George W. Bush (R-FL) and Al Gore (D-TN). As the day came to an end on November 7, 2000, all leading news channels called the election in favor of Gore. But as expected, many ballots weren’t properly punched.
Read also: The Life of Chad Everett Harris
More than 30 Florida counties used the Votomatic-style punched card ballots to register the votes. Thousands of voter rolls were discarded because of the dimpled chads, i.e. when a fragment of paper gets stuck to the cardboard even after being punched out. These unremoved chads brought the entire country to its knees on the eve of the 2000 presidential election.
As the Electoral College vote took shape on election night, with the results piling up from around the country, it was clear the vote in Florida was going to determine not only the winner of that state's 25 electoral votes but the next occupant of the Oval Office. Although Gore had won the popular vote by roughly a half-million ballots, the all-important Electoral College count from the other 49 states (and District of Columbia) was so close that whoever won Florida would be the overall winner.
The margin in the Sunshine State was so close that it took one's breath away. Ultimately, it came down to just 537 votes out of six million cast.
Because of the close count, Gore demanded an automatic machine recount, which was appealed by Bush in the Supreme Court. Because of the close count, Gore demanded an automatic machine recount, which was appealed by Bush in the Supreme Court.
Network calls and angry calls When we revisit the gut-wrenching night of Nov. 7, 2000, we recall that the TV networks looked at exit polls and sample swing precincts from Florida and declared it a win for Al Gore, who was the incumbent vice president and the Democratic nominee for president.
Read also: "Married to Evil": Chad Graves
Celebrations began in Democratic headquarters everywhere. After calling the race, the networks began getting phone calls from Republicans. Soon, the on-air personalities on Fox were telling viewers to reserve judgment on Florida. Before long, other networks were hearing the objections and reaching the same conclusion.
By the time the networks switched Florida to Bush, the Texan had enough Electoral College support to be the projected winner. That call was made in the early morning hours of November 8 by all the TV networks cited above, but not by the AP.
American History - Part 225 - All About the 2000 Election - chadding in Florida
The Legal Battle and the Supreme Court's Intervention
What followed was a five-week war over the ballots, the rules, the law and the courts. Bush's margin was so small that all the anomalies and oddities that mar the margins of any major election ballooned into major national controversies.
So, when Harris certified Bush the winner, the Democrats sued to force a recount in a few counties where they thought it would help them overcome Bush's narrow margin. They lost in the state's circuit court, but that decision was reversed by the Florida Supreme Court.
In a 5-4 vote, the justices also ruled that no alternative method of recount could be established in a timely manner. In effect, the latter ruling made Bush president. Bush v. Gore has been regarded as one of the most politically consequential decisions in the history of the court, and one that damaged the court's preferred image of itself as an institution far removed from everyday partisan politics.
Read also: Vallow-Daybell Trial: Key Evidence
The ruling by the Supreme Court that shut down the official recount of Florida resulted in George Bush’s victory by a mere 537 votes. But, experts have concluded the results of the recount wouldn’t have necessarily made Al Gore the winner.
| Candidate | Electoral Votes |
|---|---|
| George W. Bush | 271 |
| Al Gore | 266 |
The Legacy of Dimpled Chad Day
Dimpled Chad Day educates a new generation of Americans who weren’t old enough to witness the turmoil of the 2000 presidential election. The month-long wait that led to the climactic intervention of the Supreme Court is a great story to pass down.
Punched card voting was notoriously denounced after the 2000 debacle, and dimpled chads were rejected. The Florida Election Reform Act of 2001 abolished punched card voting in all 67 counties of Florida. After the election, there soon was a move away from punch hole voting.
On January 4, we come together to absolve these innocent actors of the crimeless condemnation they received from the Florida Elections Commission. On January 4, organize a debate night and discuss the local issues that concern your community.
How to Observe Dimpled Chad Day
The day should be spent commemorating dimpled chads. It is uncertain exactly what the best way to do this is, but one idea may be to study the 2000 presidential election in more depth. Perhaps you could watch a documentary about the election such as Unprecedented or Bush v. Gore: The Endless Election, or a film such as Recount.
Register to volunteer in the local elections. There is more to politics than the quadrennial presidential election. Election offices all around the country need help with voter rolls, registration, census, and more. This Dimpled Chad Day, celebrate our elections productively.
Popular articles:
tags: #Chad
