Day 23: A Summary

Developments Thursday in the dispute between Republican George W. Bush and Democrat Al Gore over Florida’s 25 electoral votes.

Legislators, ballots

* A committee of the Republican-dominated Florida Legislature recommended a special session as early as next week to name the state’s presidential electors.

* After a televised 450-mile truck ride, 462,000 ballots from Palm Beach County arrived at a Tallahassee courthouse. A judge could decide this weekend if those ballots, plus 654,000 ballots to be brought north today from Miami-Dade County, should be examined further.

Court action

* Lawyers for Bush, Gore and other involved parties prepared for this morning’s hearing before the U.S. Supreme Court. Both candidates’ lawyers filed briefs about the possibility that Florida’s Legislature will name electors itself.

* In the Florida Supreme Court, Gore asked that a state judge be told to immediately review 13,300 ballots from Palm Beach and Miami-Dade counties.

Two transitions

* Bush met at his Crawford, Texas, ranch with retired Gen. Colin L. Powell--mentioned often as a possible secretary of State--and vice presidential running mate Dick Cheney.

* In Washington, Gore and running mate Joseph I. Lieberman discussed using a “citizen committee” to advise their transition to the presidency if their court challenges to Bush’s 537-vote edge in Florida are successful.