Day 32: A Summary

Developments Saturday in the unsettled presidential election:

Courts

The U.S. Supreme Court, in a 5-4 vote, halted hand recounts of 43,000 “undervotes” in Florida--ballots on which no presidential candidate was selected. On Monday at 8 a.m. PST, the court will hear George W. Bush’s appeal to bar the recounts. Several Florida counties had begun their recount, as ordered Friday by the state Supreme Court, but stopped Saturday when the U.S. Supreme Court issued its order.

Before the U.S. Supreme Court’s stay, a federal appeals court in Atlanta refused an emergency appeal from Bush to stop the hand recounts.

Legislature

Florida lawmakers took the day off from their special session, which the Republican leadership convened Friday to name the Legislature’s own slate of presidential electors loyal to Bush. Both chambers plan to reconvene Monday.

The Candidates

Bush remained at his ranch in Crawford, Texas.

Al Gore spent most of the day at his residence in Washington. Photographers had been promised a photo opportunity of the vice president decorating his Christmas tree, but they were sent away when the U.S. Supreme Court issued its order.

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Sources: Times staff, Associated Press