Republicans Narrowly Won 2000 Election Thanks to Late Ballots

The 2000 presidential election between George W. Bush and Al Gore was one of the most contentious and closely contested in modern history. Now, experts suggest that the legal changes the Republican National Committee (RNC) is seeking could have cost Bush the victory, had they been in place at the time.

The 2000 election came down to a razor-thin margin in Florida, with the final outcome hinging on the handling of late-arriving ballots. Under the rules at the time, election officials in Florida were required to count all valid ballots received up to 10 days after Election Day, as long as they were postmarked by the deadline.

This policy of counting late-arriving ballots ultimately proved crucial, as Bush's narrow victory in Florida - and thus the presidency - was secured by just a few hundred votes. Had those late-arriving ballots been disqualified, the election likely would have gone to Gore, flipping the outcome.

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Now, the RNC is seeking to change election laws across the country to restrict the counting of late-arriving mail-in ballots. Experts warn that if such measures had been in place in 2000, Bush would likely have lost the presidency to Gore.