Nash,
I see you are showing Canada in your on-line persona.
May I suggest:
http://www.fec.gov/elections.html as a primer on how our elections work.
There is no provision for re-balloting because of the safeguards that are built into the process. For example, that sample ballot was published with no resulting complaints.
As an aside, the number of ballots that have been disallowed is apparently consistent with the number that were disallowed in '96. Perhaps those folks haven't bothered to learn how to vote? How to prepare to vote?
Once again, it boils down to personal responsibility and accountability.
Did those people familiarize themselves with the voting process? Did they attempt to understand what they must do to vote correctly?
If so, they would have instantly realized they could ask for another ballot if they made a mistake. In fact, in my state, signs delineating the voting process are on the wall for all to read as they vote.
If they DIDN'T realize they made a mistake, then you have to understand that less than 4% of the voters in that county made an unknowing mistake. Further, this 4% is consistent with what happened in '96 in the same county. In other words, this may be statistically "typical" for this county.
So, if you fail to familiarize yourself with "how to vote", the "rules" for voting at a polling station and the voting process itself.....who is responsible?
If you cannot understand the ballot, who is responsible for seeking help in understanding?
If you failed to examine the ballot carefully beforehand and "plan" your vote who is responsible?
In all of these cases, who is responsible?
That answer is obvious.
Now, if the Gore campaign just can't handle the fact that some of their constituents (and it's almost a sure bet that not ALL of those 19,000 ballots were for Gore) are not responsible voters, I suppose they can drag this through the courts ad infinitum.
If it results in a re-ballot of Florida, I will vociferously and monetarily support an entire new election for the whole US. I don't mean on this board, either.
If we're going to reshuffle the deck and play another hand EVERYBODY gets to play due to the nature of the media influence on the election.
What a great precedent for future elections, eh?