From a `Bush victory' to a legal nightmare

November 8th: Bush declared president-elect after networks predict he will carry Florida

November 8th: Bush declared president-elect after networks predict he will carry Florida. Gore concedes defeat during phone call to Bush, then retracts concession, telling Bush "circumstances have changed".

Networks reverse earlier call, saying Florida race is too close to call. Gore leads in the Electoral College 249-246 and takes a lead in the popular vote.

November 9th: Pat Buchanan says thousands accidentally voted for him instead of Gore; 19,000 ballots are invalidated in Palm Beach, Florida.

November 11th: Bush sues to stop hand-recounting of disputed votes in four heavily Democratic Florida counties.

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November 13th: Federal judge refuses to stop hand recounts.

November 14th: Florida state judge upholds deadline for vote certification but says recounts can be considered later. Bush leads by 300 votes.

November 15th: Gore offers to concede if a statewide recount shows Bush won. Bush refuses.

November 18th: With overseas absentee ballots, Bush increases his lead to 930 votes.

November 21st: Court orders recounts be added to final tally by November 26th.

November 22nd: Miami-Dade County officials vote to call off their recount, saying they cannot meet deadline. Gore challenges move; State Appeals Court rejects appeal. Bush lawyers petition US Supreme Court to overturn Florida Supreme Court decision ordering manual recounts to be included in Florida tally.

November 23rd: Gore appeals to Florida Supreme Court to force Miami-Dade to resume recount, but court rejects bid.

November 24th: US Supreme Court agrees to hear Bush's challenge to hand-recounted ballots in Florida, setting date of December 1st.

November 25th: Gore aides say legal team prepares to challenge Palm Beach results as "dimpled" ballots were under counted. Bush camp sues four counties to force them to review disqualified military absentee ballots. Broward County completes its recount, giving Gore an extra 560 votes.