Florida: No Hanging, Dimpled or Pregnant Chads This Year

Florida's top elections official says there have been very few voting problems in the state today. The presidential race in Florida (with its valuable 27 electoral votes) has tightened in the last week and is considered a toss-up. Secretary of State Kurt Browning says unlike eight years ago, he's heard of no major issues plaguing voters:

It's been a good day and I'm almost hesitant to say this: but it's been somewhat eerily quiet and that's a good thing. We're pleased. But we still have a 4 1/2 more hours to go and we'll see what the rest of our day holds.

Voters in Florida have to get used to a new way to vote this year -- they're using optical scan paper ballots. They replace the touchscreen machines used four years ago, which in turn replaced those problematic punch cards complete with all the hanging, dimpled and pregnant chads we remember from the 2000 election.

-- Russell Lewis and Greg Allen

4:26 PM ET | 11- 4-2008 | permalink

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