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How close was the vote count between George W. Bush and Al Gore in Florida?

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U.S. presidential election of 2000 — Bush v. Gore A Florida judge examining a challenged vote at an operations center in Plantation, Florida, during a recount of the state's U.S. presidential election ballots, 2000.

The vote count in Florida during the United States presidential election of 2000 was exceptionally close, leading to intense scrutiny and legal challenges.12

Following the initial election night results, the margin between George W. Bush and Al Gore narrowed to fewer than 600 votes. After a mandatory machine recount was completed on November 10, Bush’s lead stood at 327 votes out of approximately six million cast. By late November, the Florida state canvassing board certified Bush as the winner by a margin of 537 votes.123

Following subsequent legal battles and partial manual recounts, the Florida Supreme Court’s actions—which were later reversed by the U.S. Supreme Court in Bush v. Gore—had at one point reduced Bush's lead to 154 votes. Ultimately, the resolution of these disputes and the cessation of the recount process secured Florida's 25 electoral votes for Bush, allowing him to win the presidency.142