We The People: This Day in History, December 12
Supreme Court Halts Florida Recount and Declares George W. Bush President
WACO, Texas (KWTX) - On December 12, 2000, the United States Supreme Court settled one of the closest presidential elections in modern history, declaring Texas Governor George W. Bush the winner.
The ruling brought an end to a tense dispute over recounts in Florida, where a margin of only a few hundred votes had left the national outcome uncertain for more than a month.
The decision effectively stopped the manual recount and awarded Florida’s electoral votes to Bush, even though the nationwide popular vote had favored Vice President Al Gore.
The controversy sparked long-term debates about voting procedures, ballot design, and the role of the electoral college in selecting a president.
Following the Supreme Court decision, Bush officially became the 43rd President of the United States and later won reelection in 2004.
Copyright 2025 KWTX. All rights reserved.
