McG of H: You said:1) When there is a very close result in any election, the normal practice is to have a full recount.

Yes, and there are rules in each state that speak to that issue: Here in Washington state the recount is required when the vote is within a specified amount, for example 1500 votes. In that case the recount is automatically done by machine. If the race is closer, say for example within 500 votes, the recount is done by hand. I don't know if there is a standard method layed out for a hand recount, but in the Florida situation there doesn't seem to be any standard being used. I object to that.

So you see, a recount doesn't automatically have to be done by hand. Also, you said A manual recount has to be carried out in a way that ensures that there is no bias in favour of any particular candidate. There are tried and tested methods of ensuring this. Apparently they don't know that in Florida. The business of holding a ballot up to the light to try to interpret the intention of the voter turns my stomache.

I would want to stop a recount done under such conditions... Margo