Chad

BBC ^ | September 15, 2003 | BBC

[Recourse]

Chad

Chads - a huge issue in the 2000 election

A chad is the tiny piece of paper punched out of a ballot when a vote is cast, and in the wake of the disputed results became the most discussed word of the 2000 presidential election. In the tight race for votes in Florida, it opened the question of what really counts as a vote - a clear hole in a ballot paper, or a bulge?

Voters were supposed to use a pointed instrument to knock out the small rectangles alongside their choice of candidate.

But tens of thousands of ballot papers in Florida were discarded by the automatic counters because they were not properly punched through.

Fierce arguments ensued about whether to count ballots whose chads had managed to cling on by one or more of the cardboard slivers connecting it to the card.

The controversy also introduced a whole host of new words into the political lexicon:

Pregnant chad - also known as dimpled chad or nipple chad. This is where the paper bulges out but has not been pierced:

Hanging chad - where the little bit of paper is attached to the ballot by one corner. Swing-door chad - or swinging chad. The little piece of paper is attached to the ballot by two corners

Slit chad - where the chad has only been perforated on one side, but enough to allow a chink of light through.

Tri chad - where the paper is attached to the ballot by three corners, but one corner is free. The debate went all the way to the Supreme Court. Numerous allegations about tampering with chads circulated, including the bizarre accuation that a Democrat had eaten chads.

The origins of the word are unclear, but it first appeared during the early days of telegraphy and computing.

It may also come from the Scottish word for gravel, or riverbed stones.

Another idea is that the word came from America, from the Chadless Keypunch, named after its inventor. The card punch cut little U-shapes in cards, rather than punching out a circle or rectangle.

Since the serrations were 'chadless', the circles left by other punches must be 'chads', went the reasoning.

[jocon307]

"I can't decide which of your personas I think is cutest tho, with the mask or without!"

LOL, but scary! Esp. the mask + tagline, gave me a start, I must say!

[CheneyChick]

Uh oh, do I see a "Clear Punch" coming?

[Chad Fairbanks]

You never see those coming ;0)

[Chad Fairbanks]

NOthing nefarious about the tag - it's from a song on Weird Al's new album... ;0)

The mask, though, well, a dear friend took me halloween shopping and immediately upon seeing that mask, I decided to start a Goth Band... (well, ok, no goth band, but if I did, it woul be called "Bloody Pathetic Existence" or something heh heh heh)

[woofie]

What about thos masturbating Chads? worse than the pregnant mothers....

[Libloather]

The Giants? Are they still a team?

I'll let you know in about 9:54 minutes...

[jocon307]

"NOthing nefarious about the tag - it's from a song on Weird Al's new album..."

Great to know, reassured you are "normal". The kid & I love him. He is truly a genius of parody.

The RIAA owes you thanks, you sold a CD today. I still want to call them albums tho'

[Cathryn Crawford]

Even MORE excellent Chad

Indeed! :-)

[Chad Fairbanks]

Weird Al has long been an influence on me. Used to listen to him on Dr. Demento all the time.

Someday, I WILL record my music, and the world will never be the same heh heh heh

[Libloather]

...worse than the pregnant mothers....

How about those durn lactating mothers? Can't stand 'em either...

[Chad Fairbanks]

Okay. As long as you're not pregnant.

If I was, I'd be a medical miracle, and I could probably even get a book deal out of it ;0)

[CheneyChick]

[exit82]

Chad, anyone who can go toe to toe in a thousand plus post thread with #3Fan is an awesome chad! :)

[Libloather]

Chad, anyone who can go toe to toe in a thousand plus post thread with #3Fan is an awesome chad!

Never saw it. No replay. Doesn't count...

[supercat]

In the tight race for votes in Florida, it opened the question of what really counts as a vote - a clear hole in a ballot paper, or a bulge?

It is physically impossible for a person to punch a stylus fully into the hole in the Vote-o-matic without breaking at least two of the four corners off a chad. Given that the instructions on the machine very clearly state that the stylus must be pushed all the way down, and includes a picture of the correct operation, and given that the strength required is not unreasonable, anyone who fails to do so cannot possibly be reasonably deemed to have voted.

While there may conceivably be some question regarding swinging chads, I think it very unlikely given the design of the machine that such things were an issue, at least on legitimately-cast ballots. At least on the cards I remember, if the card was inserted into the top of the machine, the chads would swing left or right (rather than vertically). There was nothing that could push them "swung shut"; instead they'd be removed by a scraper (if the stylus didn't remove them cleanly first).

The Democrats needed an excuse to bolux the 2000 election. That's the only reason for this whole fiasco. Not that any significant number of legitimately-cast votes were miscounted, but rather to promote FUD, while perhaps as a bonus also covering up evidence of fraud.

[jocon307]

Demento rules, go for it!

What the world needs now, is more weird music. Also a new Frank Sinatra, of course!

[Libloather]

The Giants? Are they still a team?

It-goes-to-overtime...

[Libloather]

The Giants? Are they still a team?

Dallas wins in NJ (reality TV, baybee). The Eaglets are in last place. The so-called giants - losers. The Deadskins - what?

Looks like the Cowboys will be back in the Superbowl real soon...

[Consort]

[Smokin' Joe]

The Democrats needed an excuse to bolux the 2000 election.

Bingo!! These machines were good enough to elect Davis, after all....