Title: The Process for Contesting an Election
Headings: Contesting an Election
Contesting an Election
How Does a Candidate Contest an Election?
Laws on Contesting Elections Vary by State
Federal Contested Elections Act
When Can Congress Intervene in Presidential Elections?
If the Governor and the State Legislature Send Different Results
If Neither Candidate Secures a Majority Vote
If a State Doesn't Certify the Votes by the Safe Harbor Deadline
When Does the Supreme Court Get Involved in Contested Elections?
Contested Elections, Significant Outcomes

Content: Over eight months, votes were recounted, lawsuits filed and tried, and a number of wrongly rejected absentee ballots finally turned the tide in favor of Franken. But the most significant contested election in recent times was the 2000 presidential election between George W. Bush and Al Gore. An early tally of votes in Florida — which held a crucial 25 electoral votes — showed Bush leading by about 1,700 votes. The margin was slim enough to trigger an automatic recount. Three weeks later, the Florida secretary of state declared Bush the winner. Gore sued and won in the state supreme court on the grounds that many ballots were illegally uncounted. But Bush prevailed in the U.S. Supreme Court, by the slimmest 5-4 margin.