Bush files new lawsuits on military ballots

4:00 PM

TALLAHASSEE - Republican George W. Bush has filed lawsuits against four Florida counties asking for a review of disqualified overseas military ballots in the state's disputed and decisive presidential election, just hours after withdrawing a similar lawsuit against 14 other counties.

A spokeswoman for the Bush campaign said they would file a lawsuit against a fifth county on Sunday in a bid to get them to take another look at a number of ballots that were disqualified for technical reasons.

Lawsuits were filed on Saturday against Polk, Pasco, Hillsborough and Okaloosa, with another one set to be filed on Sunday against Orange county.

The Bush campaign is asking the courts in these counties to force the county canvassing commissions to reconsider military ballots that had been disqualified.

Bush campaign spokeswoman Mindy Tucker said: "We are asking the courts to force these counties to reconsider the military ballots."

Earlier on Saturday in a filing with Leon County Circuit Court in Tallahassee, Florida's capital, Bush lawyers said the Republicans were satisfied that most of the Florida counties cited in the first lawsuit would press ahead with a review of the disqualified military ballots, and the Bush campaign was therefore withdrawing that suit.

- REUTERS

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