Presidential election results map. Red denotes states won by Bush/Cheney, Blue denotes those won by Kerry/Edwards. Numbers indicate electoral votes allotted to a state.

The U.S. presidential election of 2004 was won by the incumbent President, Republican George W. Bush, who defeated his main rival, Democratic Senator John F. Kerry of Massachusetts. The election was fought primarily on the issue of the conduct of the War on Terror. Bush defended the actions of his administration, while Kerry contended that the war had been fought incompetently, and that the Iraq War was a distraction from the War on Terror, not a part of it. Red denotes Bush-Cheney wins. ... Red denotes Bush-Cheney wins. ... The President of the United States is the head of state of the United States. ... The Republican Party, often called the GOP (for Grand Old Party, although one early citation described it as the Gallant Old Party) [1], is one of the two major political parties in the United States. ... George Walker Bush (born July 6, 1946) // Personal life, service and education Bush is the son of George H. W. Bush and Barbara Bush. ... The Democratic Party is one of the two major political parties in the United States. ... Seal of the Senate The United States Senate is one of the two houses of the Congress of the United States, the other being the House of Representatives. ... John Forbes Kerry (born December 11, 1943) is the junior United States Senator from Massachusetts. ... State nickname: Bay State Other U.S. States Capital Boston Largest city Boston Governor Mitt Romney (R) Official languages English Area 27,360 km² (44th)  - Land 20,317 km²  - Water 7,043 km² (25. ... The War on terrorism or War on terror (in US foreign policy circles, the global war on terrorism or GWOT ) was the term originally used by the United States government and its principal allies in its an ongoing campaign to destroy individuals and groups deemed to be terrorist and terrorist... The 2003 invasion of Iraq was launched by the United States and the United Kingdom on March 20, 2003, with support from some other governments, making up what was described as the coalition of the willing. ...

The popular vote election took place on Election Day, November 2. The results were extremely close, and it was not until the next day that the election was finally decided. According to the preliminary results, Bush had been reelected with 286 electoral votes. Kerry received 252 electoral votes. Election Day in the United States is the day when polls most often open for the election of elected public officials. ... November 2 is the 306th day of the year (307th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 59 days remaining. ... The United States Electoral College is the electoral college which chooses the President and Vice President of the United States at the conclusion of each Presidential election. ...

The election hinged on Ohio, a controversial battleground state, but at midday the day after the election, Kerry conceded he had lost the Buckeye State, and the election along with it. Bush then declared victory. State nickname: The Buckeye State Other U.S. States Capital Columbus Largest city Columbus Governor Bob Taft (R) Official languages None Area 116,096 km² (34th)  - Land 106,154 km²  - Water 10,044 km² (8. ... Parent article: 2004 U.S. presidential election controversy During the 2004 U.S. presidential election, there were numerous problems with the election process in Ohio, including but not limited to missing/uncounted votes, machine malfunction, machine shortage, machine mis-voting, >100% turnout, and abnormal statistical discrepancies such as the vote... For other uses, see Ohio (disambiguation). ...

The electors met on December 13, and save for one faithless elector and a typographical error (see below), the electors voted for their pledged candidates. When the new Congress met in January, all the fraud allegations became moot when a congressional electoral challenge failed to be sustained. The final certified count showed 286 votes for Bush, 251 for Kerry, and 1 for Edwards. President Bush was inaugurated for his second term on January 20, 2005. December 13 is the 347th day of the year (348th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... The 109th United States Congress meets from January 4, 2005, to January 1, 2007. ... January 20 is the 20th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 2005 is a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar and is the current year. ...

Overview

The results produced many interesting features. A partial list is given below, but it is by no means complete.

• George W. Bush became the first candidate since his father—George H. W. Bush, elected in 1988—to receive a majority of the popular vote. It also marked the seventh consecutive election in which the Democratic nominee failed to reach that threshold.
• Although Bush received a majority of the popular vote: 50.73% to Kerry's 48.27%, it was —percentage-wise— the closest popular margin ever for a sitting President; Bush received 2.5% more than Kerry; the closest previous margin won by a sitting President was 3.2% for Woodrow Wilson in 1916. In terms of absolute number of popular votes, his victory margin (approximately 3 million votes) was the smallest of any sitting President since Harry S. Truman in 1948.
• At least 12 million more votes were cast than in the 2000 election. Based upon 2000 census figures, 42.45% of the U.S. population voted in the 2004 election. The record turnout—the highest since 1968—was attributed partly to the intensity of the division between the candidates and partly to intensive voter registration and get-out-the-vote efforts by both major parties and their allies.
• The counties where Bush led in the popular vote amount to 83% of the geographic area of the U.S. (excluding Alaska, which did not report results by borough/census area, but had all electoral districts but one of the two in Juneau vote for Bush).
• Only three states picked a winner from a different party than they had in 2000. Bush took Iowa and New Mexico (combined 12 electoral votes), both won by Democrat Al Gore in 2000, while Kerry took New Hampshire (4 electoral votes), which Bush had won. All three were very close states in both 2000 and 2004.
• As in 2000, electoral votes split along sharp geographical lines: The west coast, northeast, and most of the Great Lakes region for Kerry, and the South, Great Plains, and Mountain states for Bush. The widespread support for Bush in the southern states continued the transformation of the formerly Democratic Solid South to the Republican South.
• Minor-party candidates received many fewer votes, dropping from a total of 3.5 percent in 2000 to approximately one percent. As in 2000, Ralph Nader finished in third place, but his total declined from 2.9 million to 400,000, leaving him with fewer votes than the Reform Party candidate Pat Buchanan had received in finishing fourth in 2000. The combined minor-party total was the lowest since 1988.
• The election marked the first time an incumbent president was reelected while his political party increased its numbers in both houses of Congress since Lyndon Johnson in the 1964 election. It was the first time for a Republican since William McKinley in the 1900 election.

The entire House of Representatives (435 members) and approximately one-third of the Senate (34 of 100 members) were also up for election. The Republican Party increased its majorities in both houses of Congress. (See the U.S. House election, 2004 and the U.S. Senate election, 2004 for more information.) Order: 41st President Vice President: J. Danforth Quayle Term of office: 20 January , 1989 – 20 January , 1993 Preceded by: Ronald Reagan Succeeded by: Bill Clinton Date of birth: 12 June , 1924 Place of birth: Milton, Massachusetts First Lady: Barbara Pierce Bush Political party: Republican George Herbert Walker Bush ( born 12... The election was held on November 8, 1988. ... A majority is a subset of a group that is more than half of the entire group. ... Order: 28th President Vice President: Thomas R. Marshall Term of office: March 4, 1913 – March 3, 1921 Preceded by: William Howard Taft Succeeded by: Warren G. Harding Date of birth: December 28, 1856 Place of birth: Staunton, Virginia Date of death: February 3, 1924 Place of death: Washington, D.C... For the victim of Mt. ... Presidential electoral votes by state. ... Presidential electoral votes by state. ... A census is the process of obtaining information about every member of a population (not necessarily a human population). ... Presidential electoral votes by state. ... Map of Alaska boroughs and census areas The U.S. state of Alaska does not have counties in the sense of counties in the rest of the country. ... State nickname: The Hawkeye State Other U.S. States Capital Des Moines Largest city Des Moines Governor Thomas Vilsack (D) Official languages English Area 145,743 km² (26th)  - Land 144,701 km²  - Water 1,042 km² (0. ... State nickname: Land of Enchantment Other U.S. States Capital Santa Fe Largest city Albuquerque Governor Bill Richardson Official languages English and Spanish Area 315,194 km² (5th)  - Land 314,590 km²  - Water 607 km² (0. ... Albert Arnold Gore Jr. ... State nickname: The Granite State Other U.S. States Capital Concord Largest city Manchester Governor John Lynch (D) Official languages English Area 24,239 km² (46th)  - Land 23,249 km²  - Water 814 km² (3. ... The West Coast States. ... The U.S. Northeast is a region of the United States of America defined by the US Census Bureau. ... The Great Lakes states are colored red in this map. ... The U.S. Southern states or the South, also known colloquially as Dixie, constitute a distinctive region covering a large portion of the United States, with its own unique heritage, historical perspective, customs, musical styles, and cuisine. ... The Great Plains states. ... The Mountain States form one of the nine geographic divisions within the United States which are officially recognized by that countrys census bureau. ... The phrase Solid South describes the reliable electoral support of the U.S. Southern states for Democratic Party candidates from the Reconstruction era through much of the 20th century. ... Ralph Nader Ralph Nader (born February 27, 1934) is an activist attorney who opposes the power of large corporations and has worked for decades on environmental, consumer rights, and pro-democracy issues. ... The Reform Party of the United States of America (abbreviated Reform Party USA or RPUSA) is a political party in the United States, founded by Ross Perot in 1995 who said Americans were disillusioned with the state of politics--as being corrupt and unable to deal with vital issues--and... Patrick Buchanan Patrick Joseph Buchanan (born November 2, 1938), is an American author, syndicated columnist, and television commentator. ... Lyndon Baines Johnson (August 27, 1908–January 22, 1973), often referred to as LBJ, was an American politician. ... Presidential electoral votes by state. ... Order: 25th President Vice President: Garret A. Hobart (1897-1899) Theodore Roosevelt (1901) Term of office: March 4, 1897 – September 14, 1901 Preceded by: Grover Cleveland Succeeded by: Theodore Roosevelt Date of birth: January 29, 1843 Place of birth: Niles, Ohio Date of death: September 14, 1901 Place of death... Summary The election was held on November 6, 1900. ... Seal of the House of Representatives The United States House of Representatives is one of the two houses of the Congress of the United States, the other being the Senate. ... Seal of the Senate The United States Senate is one of the two houses of the Congress of the United States, the other being the House of Representatives. ... The Congress of the United States is the legislative branch of the federal government of the United States of America. ... Elections to the 109th United States House of Representatives were held on November 2, 2004. ... Results -- light red represents Republican holds, dark red Republican pickups, light blue Democratic holds, dark blue Democratic pickups. ...

Election results

The members of the Electoral College formally voted on December 13, 2004. On January 6, 2005, when Congress met for the official counting of the electoral votes, Democratic Congresswoman Stephanie Tubbs Jones and Senator Barbara Boxer made an official objection to the counting of Ohio's electoral votes. As a result, the House and Senate separately debated the inclusion of Ohio's votes. Within four hours of the objection, however, the last effective challenge to the election results ended, when the Senate voted 74–1 [1] and the House voted 267–31 [2] to reject the challenge to Ohio's votes. The counting process is detailed in the United States Code (specifically 3 USC §§ 15, 16, 17, and 18). December 13 is the 347th day of the year (348th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2004 is a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... January 6 is the 6th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 2005 is a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar and is the current year. ... Seal of the House of Representatives The United States House of Representatives is one of the two houses of the Congress of the United States, the other being the Senate. ... Stephanie Tubbs Jones (born September 10, 1949) is a Democratic politician from Ohio. ... Seal of the Senate The United States Senate is one of the two houses of the Congress of the United States, the other being the House of Representatives. ... Office: Junior Senator, California Political party: Democratic Term of office: January, 1993–Present Preceded by: Alan Cranston Succeeded by: Incumbent (2011) Date of birth: November 11, 1940 Place of birth: Brooklyn, New York Marriage: Stewart Boxer Barbara Levy Boxer (born November 11, 1940 in Brooklyn, New York) is an American... State nickname: The Buckeye State Other U.S. States Capital Columbus Largest city Columbus Governor Bob Taft (R) Official languages None Area 116,096 km² (34th)  - Land 106,154 km²  - Water 10,044 km² (8. ... The United States Code (U.S.C.) is a compilation and codification of the general and permanent federal Law of the United States. ...

In the final accepted count, Bush received 286 electoral votes, and Kerry received 251. One vote went to Kerry's running mate, John Edwards, when one of the electors pledged to Kerry voted for John Ewards (sic) instead. It was the first time in U.S. history that an elector had voted the same person for president and vice president. For Vice President, 286 votes went to Bush's running mate, Dick Cheney, and 252 to Edwards. This article is about the American politician, former Senator, and 2004 Vice Presidential candidate. ... The Vice President of the United States is the second-highest executive official of the United States government, the person who is, in the words of Adlai Stevenson, a heartbeat from the presidency. ... Richard Bruce Cheney (born January 30, 1941), widely known as Dick Cheney, is an American politician and businessman affiliated with the U.S. Republican Party. ...

Even if Congress had voted to reject Ohio's 20 electoral votes, the outcome would have been the same. With 518 valid votes cast (instead of 538), the majority necessary for election by the Electoral College under the Twelfth Amendment would have been 260 votes, which Bush and Cheney, each with 266, would have reached. If Ohio's votes had been deemed to have been cast, but not counted, so that no candidate had a majority, Bush and Cheney would have almost certainly been chosen by the House and Senate, respectively, under the Twelfth Amendment's procedures. Only a complete reversal of Ohio's vote count and a new certification for Kerry could have changed the result. The Twelfth Amendment to the United States Constitution altered Article II relating to presidential elections. ...

Source (Popular Vote): Leip, David. 2004 Presidential Election Results. Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections (May 28, 2005). George Walker Bush (born July 6, 1946) // Personal life, service and education Bush is the son of George H. W. Bush and Barbara Bush. ... The Republican Party, often called the GOP (for Grand Old Party, although one early citation described it as the Gallant Old Party) [1], is one of the two major political parties in the United States. ... State nickname: Lone Star State Other U.S. States Capital Austin Largest city Houston Governor Rick Perry (R) Official languages None. ... Richard Bruce Cheney (born January 30, 1941), widely known as Dick Cheney, is an American politician and businessman affiliated with the U.S. Republican Party. ... State nickname: Equality State Other U.S. States Capital Cheyenne Largest city Cheyenne Governor Dave Freudenthal (D) Official languages English Area 253,554 km² (10th)  - Land 251,706 km²  - Water 1,851 km² (0. ... John Forbes Kerry (born December 11, 1943) is the junior United States Senator from Massachusetts. ... The Democratic Party is one of the two major political parties in the United States. ... State nickname: Bay State Other U.S. States Capital Boston Largest city Boston Governor Mitt Romney (R) Official languages English Area 27,360 km² (44th)  - Land 20,317 km²  - Water 7,043 km² (25. ... This article is about the American politician, former Senator, and 2004 Vice Presidential candidate. ... State nickname: Tar Heel State Other U.S. States Capital Raleigh Largest city Charlotte Governor Michael Easley (D) Official languages English Area 139,509 km² (28th)  - Land 126,256 km²  - Water 13,227 km² (9. ... This article is about the American politician, former Senator, and 2004 Vice Presidential candidate. ... The Democratic Party is one of the two major political parties in the United States. ... State nickname: Tar Heel State Other U.S. States Capital Raleigh Largest city Charlotte Governor Michael Easley (D) Official languages English Area 139,509 km² (28th)  - Land 126,256 km²  - Water 13,227 km² (9. ... Ralph Nader Ralph Nader (born February 27, 1934) is an activist attorney who opposes the power of large corporations and has worked for decades on environmental, consumer rights, and pro-democracy issues. ... The Reform Party of the United States of America (abbreviated Reform Party USA or RPUSA) is a political party in the United States, founded by Ross Perot in 1995 under the belief that Americans were disillusioned with the state of politics--as being corrupt and unable to deal with vital... State nickname: The Constitution State Other U.S. States Capital Hartford Largest city Bridgeport Governor M. Jodi Rell (R) Official languages English Area 14,371 km² (48th)  - Land 12,559 km²  - Water 1,809 km² (12. ... Peter Miguel Camejo (born December 31, 1939) is a financier, businessman, political activist, environmentalist, author, and one of the founders of the socially responsible investment movement. ... State nickname: The Golden State Other U.S. States Capital Sacramento Largest city Los Angeles Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger (R) Official languages English Area 410,000 km² (3rd)  - Land 404,298 km²  - Water 20,047 km² (4. ... Badnarik accepting the presidential nomination in May 2004 at the Libertarian National Convention in Atlanta. ... The Libertarian Party is a United States political party created in 1971. ... State nickname: Lone Star State Other U.S. States Capital Austin Largest city Houston Governor Rick Perry (R) Official languages None. ... Richard Campagna, on the left, with Michael Badnarik Richard V. Campagna of Iowa City, Iowa was the vice-presidential nominee of the Libertarian Party in the 2004 U.S. presidential election. ... State nickname: The Hawkeye State Other U.S. States Capital Des Moines Largest city Des Moines Governor Thomas Vilsack (D) Official languages English Area 145,743 km² (26th)  - Land 144,701 km²  - Water 1,042 km² (0. ... Michael Peroutka Michael Anthony Peroutka (born 1952) is a Maryland lawyer, the founder of the Institute On The Constitution and once held a position in the United States Department of Health and Human Services. ... State nickname: Old Line State; Free State Other U.S. States Capital Annapolis Largest city Baltimore Governor Robert L. Ehrlich Official languages English Area 32,160 km² (42nd)  - Land 25,338 km²  - Water 6,968 km² (21%) Population (2000)  - Population 5,296,486 (19th)  - Density 165 /km² (5th) Admission into... Categories: 1952 births | Stub ... State nickname: Sunshine State Other U.S. States Capital Tallahassee Largest city Jacksonville Governor Jeb Bush (R) Official languages English Area 170,451 km² (22nd)  - Land 137,374 km²  - Water 30,486 km² (17. ... May 28 is the 148th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (149th in leap years). ... 2005 is a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar and is the current year. ...

Source (Electoral Vote): 2004 Presidential Election Results. Official website of the National Archives. (August 7, 2005). August 7 is the 219th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (220th in leap years), with 146 days remaining. ... 2005 is a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar and is the current year. ...

^(a) In New York, Bush vote was the fusion of Republican and Conservative parties. There, Bush obtained 2,806,993 votes on the Republican ticket and 155,574 on the Conservative ticket.
^(b) In New York, Kerry vote was the fusion of Democratic and Working Families parties. There, Kerry obtained 4,180,755 votes on the Democratic ticket and 133,525 votes on the Working Families ticket.
^(c) See "'Faithless elector' in Minnesota" below.
Presidential election results map. ...

See also U.S. presidential election, 2004 (detail). For members of the 2004 United States Electoral College, see United States presidential electors, 2004. U.S. presidential election, 2004 detailed results. ... The United States Electoral College is the electoral college which chooses the President and Vice President of the United States at the conclusion of each Presidential election. ... 2004 U.S. presidential electors, by state: Alabama - Republican - http://www. ...

Ballot access

Ballot access rules regulate the conditions under which a candidate or political party is entitled to appear on voters ballots. ... Aerial photo (looking NW) of the Washington Monument and the White House in Washington, DC. Washington, D.C., officially the District of Columbia (also known as D.C.; Washington; the Nations Capital; the District; and, historically, the Federal City) is the capital city and administrative district of the United...

"Faithless elector" in Minnesota

One elector in Minnesota cast a ballot for president with the name of "John Ewards" (sic) written on it. The Electoral College officials certified this ballot as a vote for John Edwards for president. The remaining nine electors cast ballots for John Kerry. All ten electors in the state cast ballots for John Edwards for Vice President. (John Edwards' name was spelled correctly on all ballots for Vice President.) This was the first time in U.S. history that an elector had voted for the same person for both President and Vice President.

Electoral balloting in Minnesota was performed by secret ballot, and none of the electors admitted to casting the Edwards vote for President, so it may never be known who the "faithless elector" was. It is not even known whether the vote for Edwards was deliberate or unintentional, although the Republican Secretary of State and several of the Democratic electors have expressed the opinion that this was an accident. It is worth noting that an Independence Party straw poll, which was published in lieu of an endorsement from that party, selected John Edwards for President, though there is no evidence to suggest that this is related to the Edwards electoral vote for President. The Independence Party of Minnesota (often abbreviated IP or IPM), formerly the Reform Party of Minnesota, is the third largest political party in Minnesota, behind the Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party (DFL) and Republican Party. ...

Electoral vote error in New York

New York's initial electoral vote certificate indicated that all of its 31 electoral votes for president were cast for "John L. Kerry of Massachusetts" instead of John F. Kerry, who won the popular vote in the state. This was apparently the result of a typographical error, and an amended electoral vote certificate with the correct middle initial was transmitted to the President of the Senate prior to the official electoral vote count. John Forbes Kerry (born December 11, 1943) is the junior United States Senator from Massachusetts. ... The Vice President of the United States is the second-highest executive official of the United States government, the person who is, in the words of Adlai Stevenson, a heartbeat from the presidency. ...

Presidential Results by Congressional District

In his successful bid for reelection in 2004, Republican George W. Bush won the popular vote in 255 of the nation's 435 congressional districts, a 75-seat edge over Democrat John Kerry’s 180. At 255, the President won 27 more districts than the 228 he carried in the 2000 election.

There were 59 "turnover," or "split," districts, i.e., those represented in the U.S. House by a member of a party other than the winner of the presidential vote in the district. Following the 2004 election, 41 districts of the 109th Congress were carried by Bush yet represented by a Democrat; 18 districts were carried by John Kerry yet represented by a Republican. This represents a continued decrease over recent presidential elections. In 2000 there were 86 turnover districts. In 1996, there were 110 turnover districts. The 2004 presidential election was the first following the 2001–2002 redistricting phase of congressional apportionment.

Caveats: only a handful of states report the results by district. These numbers are estimates based upon results collected from the 400 counties that contain a portion of more than one district. They may include an allocation of absentee/early votes which were not tabulated by district. (Polidata, 2005)

Presidential/Vice Presidential candidates

There were six candidates who were on the ballot in states with enough electoral votes to have a theoretical chance of winning a majority in the Electoral College. For other candidates, see List of candidates in the U.S. presidential election, 2004. The United States Electoral College is the electoral college which chooses the President and Vice President of the United States at the conclusion of each Presidential election. ... The following is an incomplete list of Candidates in the U.S. presidential election, 2004 (for a full list, see here). ...

George W. Bush/Richard B. Cheney, Republican Party

George W. Bush receives John Kerry's concession by phone, on Wednesday, Nov. 3, 2004.

On March 10, Bush officially clinched the number of delegates needed to be nominated at the 2004 Republican National Convention in New York City. Bush accepted the nomination on September 2, 2004, and selected Vice President Cheney as his running mate. Bush faced only token opposition in Republican primaries. The Bush/Cheney ticket appeared on the ballot in all 50 states, plus the District of Columbia. (In New York, the ticket was also on the ballot as candidates of the Conservative Party of New York State.) See also George W. Bush presidential campaign, 2004 and U.S. Republican Party presidential nomination, 2004. George Walker Bush (born July 6, 1946) // Personal life, service and education Bush is the son of George H. W. Bush and Barbara Bush. ... Richard Bruce Cheney (born January 30, 1941), widely known as Dick Cheney, is an American politician and businessman affiliated with the U.S. Republican Party. ... The Republican Party, often called the GOP (for Grand Old Party, although one early citation described it as the Gallant Old Party) [1], is one of the two major political parties in the United States. ... Standing at his desk in the Oval Office, President George W. Bush receives a phone call from Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry in which the senator conceded defeat in the 2004 presidential election Wednesday, Nov. ... Standing at his desk in the Oval Office, President George W. Bush receives a phone call from Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry in which the senator conceded defeat in the 2004 presidential election Wednesday, Nov. ... March 10 is the 69th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (70th in Leap years). ... 2004 Republican National Convention Logo President George W. Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney accepted their partys nomination to run for second terms. ... Midtown Manhattan, looking north from the Empire State Building, 2005 New York City (officially named the City of New York) is the most populous city in the United States, and is at the center of international finance, politics, music, and culture. ... September 2 is the 245th day of the year (246th in leap years). ... 2004 is a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The Vice President of the United States is the second-highest executive official of the United States government, the person who is, in the words of Adlai Stevenson, a heartbeat from the presidency. ... A running mate is a person running for a subordinate position on a joint ticket during an election. ... State nickname: Empire State Other U.S. States Capital Albany Largest city New York Governor George Pataki (R) Official languages None (English is de facto) Area 141,205 km² (27th)  - Land 122,409 km²  - Water 18,795 km² (13. ... The Conservative Party of New York is a minor political party active only in New York State. ... This article is about the presidential campaign of George W. Bush, the incumbent President of the United States and victor of the 2004 Presidential Election. ... The U.S. Republican Party presidential nomination, 2004 was the series of primaries and caucuses that determined who was to be chosen at the 2004 Republican National Convention in New York City as the Republican Partys candidate in the U.S. presidential election, 2004. ...

John F. Kerry/John R. Edwards, Democratic Party

By the end of February 2003, the following field of candidates had formed exploratory committees and were actively campaigning to be the Democratic nominee: John Forbes Kerry (born December 11, 1943) is the junior United States Senator from Massachusetts. ... This article is about the American politician, former Senator, and 2004 Vice Presidential candidate. ... The Democratic Party is one of the two major political parties in the United States. ...

• Former Vermont Gov. Howard B. Dean III, M.D.
• U.S. Senator John R. Edwards (N.C.)
• U.S. Rep. Richard A. "Dick" Gephardt (Mo.)
• U.S. Senator D. Robert Graham (Fla.)
• U.S. Senator John F. Kerry (Mass.)
• U.S. Rep. Dennis J. Kucinich (Ohio)
• U.S. Senator Joseph I. Lieberman (Conn.)
• Former Ambassador and former U.S. Senator Carol Moseley Braun (Ill.)
• the Rev. Alfred Sharpton Jr. of New York

Notable in his absence was former Vice President and 2000 Presidential candidate Al Gore, who announced he would not run in December 2002. State nickname: The Green Mountain State Other U.S. States Capital Montpelier Largest city Burlington Governor Jim Douglas (R) Official languages None Area 24,923 km² (45th)  - Land 23,974 km²  - Water 949 km² (3. ... Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean Howard Brush Dean III, M.D. (born November 17, 1948) is a prominent American Democratic politician, currently serving as chairman of the Democratic National Committee. ... This article is about the American politician, former Senator, and 2004 Vice Presidential candidate. ... State nickname: Tar Heel State Other U.S. States Capital Raleigh Largest city Charlotte Governor Michael Easley (D) Official languages English Area 139,509 km² (28th)  - Land 126,256 km²  - Water 13,227 km² (9. ... Richard Andrew Gephardt (born January 31, 1941) served as a U.S. Representative from Missouri from 1977 until January 3, 2005. ... Missouri, named after the Missouri Siouan Indian tribe meaning canoe, is a Midwestern state in the United States with Jefferson City as its capital. ... This article is about the American politician. ... State nickname: Sunshine State Other U.S. States Capital Tallahassee Largest city Jacksonville Governor Jeb Bush (R) Official languages English Area 170,451 km² (22nd)  - Land 137,374 km²  - Water 30,486 km² (17. ... John Forbes Kerry (born December 11, 1943) is the junior United States Senator from Massachusetts. ... State nickname: Bay State Other U.S. States Capital Boston Largest city Boston Governor Mitt Romney (R) Official languages English Area 27,360 km² (44th)  - Land 20,317 km²  - Water 7,043 km² (25. ... Dennis Kucinich Dennis John Kucinich (born October 8, 1946) is a Democratic member of the United States House of Representatives, for the 10th District of Ohio (map). ... State nickname: The Buckeye State Other U.S. States Capital Columbus Largest city Columbus Governor Bob Taft (R) Official languages None Area 116,096 km² (34th)  - Land 106,154 km²  - Water 10,044 km² (8. ... Joseph Isadore Lieberman (born February 24, 1942) is a Jewish-American Democratic politician and a current U.S. senator from Connecticut. ... State nickname: The Constitution State Other U.S. States Capital Hartford Largest city Bridgeport Governor M. Jodi Rell (R) Official languages English Area 14,371 km² (48th)  - Land 12,559 km²  - Water 1,809 km² (12. ... Carol Moseley Braun Carol Moseley Braun (born August 16, 1947), American politician and lawyer, was the first (and to date only) black woman elected to the United States Senate (representing Illinois). ... State nickname: Land of Lincoln, The Prairie State Other U.S. States Capital Springfield Largest city Chicago Governor Rod Blagojevich (D) Official languages English Area 149,998 km² (25th)  - Land 143,968 km²  - Water 6,030 km² (4. ... Reverend Al Sharpton The Reverend Alfred Charles Sharpton Jr. ... State nickname: Empire State Other U.S. States Capital Albany Largest city New York Governor George Pataki (R) Official languages None (English is de facto) Area 141,205 km² (27th)  - Land 122,409 km²  - Water 18,795 km² (13. ... Dick Cheney 46th and current Vice President (2001- ) The Vice President of the United States is the second-highest executive official of the United States government, the person who is a heartbeat from the presidency. ... Presidential electoral votes by state. ... Albert Arnold Gore Jr. ...

By autumn of 2003, Dean had become the apparent frontrunner for the Democratic nomination, performing strongly in most polls and leading the pack in fundraising. Dean's strength as a fundraiser was attributed mainly to his innovative embrace of the Internet for campaigning. The majority of his donations came from individual Dean supporters, who came to be known as Deanites, or, more commonly, Deaniacs. Generally regarded as a pragmatic centrist during his time as governor, Dean emerged during his presidential campaign as something of a populist, denouncing the policies of the Bush administration (especially the 2003 invasion of Iraq) as well as fellow Democrats, who, in his view, failed to strongly oppose them. Intense supporters of 2004 Democratic candidate, Howard Dean. ... In politics, centrism usually refers to the political ideal of promoting moderate policies which land in the middle ground between different political extremes. ... Populism is a political ideology or rhetorical style that holds that the common person is oppressed by the elite in society, which exists only to serve its own interests, and therefore, the instruments of the State need to be grasped from this self-serving elite and instead used for the... The 2003 invasion of Iraq was launched by the United States and the United Kingdom on March 20, 2003, with support from some other governments, making up what was described as the coalition of the willing. ...

In September 2003, retired four-star general Wesley Clark announced his intention to run in the presidential primary election for the Democratic Party nomination. His campaign focused on themes of leadership and patriotism; early campaign ads relied heavily on biography. His late start left him with relatively few detailed policy proposals. This weakness was apparent in his first few debates, although he soon presented a range of position papers, including a major tax-relief plan. Nevertheless, many Democrats flocked to his campaign. General is a military rank used by nearly every country in the world. ... Wesley Clark Wesley Kanne Clark KBE (born December 23, 1944) is a retired four-star general in the U.S. Army. ... The 2004 U.S. Democratic Party presidential nomination process was a series of primaries and caucuses culminating in the Democratic National Convention that decided which pair of candidates would represent the Democrats in the 2004 election for President and Vice President of the United States. ...

Leading up to the Iowa caucuses, Howard Dean was a strong front-runner. However, the Iowa caucuses yielded unexpectedly strong results for Democratic candidates John Kerry, who earned 38% of the state's delegates and John Edwards, who took 32%. Former front-runner Howard Dean slipped to 18% and third place, and Richard Gephardt finished fourth (11%). On January 27 Kerry triumphed again, earning first place in the New Hampshire primary. Clark took third place in New Hampshire, behind New Englanders Kerry and Dean. Since 1976, the Iowa caucus has been the first indication of which candidate for President of the United States would win the nomination of his or her political party at that partys national convention. ... State nickname: The Hawkeye State Other U.S. States Capital Des Moines Largest city Des Moines Governor Thomas Vilsack (D) Official languages English Area 145,743 km² (26th)  - Land 144,701 km²  - Water 1,042 km² (0. ... The Democratic Party is one of the two major political parties in the United States. ... John Forbes Kerry (born December 11, 1943) is the junior United States Senator from Massachusetts. ... This article is about the American politician, former Senator, and 2004 Vice Presidential candidate. ... Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean Howard Brush Dean III, M.D. (born November 17, 1948) is a prominent American Democratic politician, currently serving as chairman of the Democratic National Committee. ... Richard Andrew Gephardt (born January 31, 1941) served as a U.S. Representative from Missouri from 1977 until January 3, 2005. ... January 27 - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia /**/ @import /skins-1. ... The New Hampshire primary to the U.S. presidential election is the first U.S. presidential primary in the United States. ...

The following week, John Edwards won the South Carolina primary and finished a strong second in Oklahoma. After Howard Dean's withdrawal from the contest, Edwards became the only major challenger to Kerry for the Democratic nomination. However, Kerry continued to dominate, taking in a string of wins in Michigan ,Washington, Maine, Tennessee, Washington, D.C., Nevada, Wisconsin, Utah, Hawaii, and Idaho. Many other candidates dropped out during this time, leaving only Sharpton, Kucinich, and Edwards in the running. Oklahoma is a South Central state of the United States (with strong southern, western and midwestern influences) and its U.S. postal abbreviation is OK; others abbreviate the states name Okla. ... State nickname: Wolverine State or Great Lakes State Other U.S. States Capital Lansing Largest city Detroit Governor Jennifer Granholm (D) Official languages English Area 250,941 km² (11th)  - Land 147,255 km²  - Water 103,687 km² (41. ... State nickname: The Evergreen State Other U.S. States Capital Olympia Largest city Seattle Governor Christine Gregoire (D) Official languages None Area 184,824 km² (18th)  - Land 172,587 km²  - Water 12,237 km² (6. ... State nickname: The Pine Tree State Other U.S. States Capital Augusta Largest city Portland Governor John Baldacci (D) Official languages None Area 86,542 km² (39th)  - Land 80,005 km²  - Water 11,724 km² (13. ... State nickname: Volunteer State Other U.S. States Capital Nashville Largest city Memphis (largest metropolitan area is Nashville) Governor Phil Bredesen (D) Official languages English Area 109,247 km² (36th)  - Land 106,846 km²  - Water 2,400 km² (2. ... Washington, D.C., officially the District of Columbia (also known as D.C., Washington, the Nations Capital, or the District, and historically, the Federal City) is the capital city and administrative district of the United States of America, and as such, the word Washington is often used as a... State nickname: Silver State, Battle Born State (official) Other U.S. States Capital Carson City Largest city Las Vegas Governor Kenny Guinn (R) Official languages None Area 286,367 km² (7th)  - Land 284,396 km²  - Water 1,971 km² (0. ... State nickname: Badger State State motto: Forward Other U.S. States Capital Madison Largest city Milwaukee Governor Jim Doyle (D) Official languages None Area 169,790 km² (23rd)  - Land 140,787 km²  - Water 28,006 km² (17%) Population (2000)  - Population 5,453,896 (18th)  - Density 38. ... State nickname: Beehive State Other U.S. States Capital Salt Lake City Largest city Salt Lake City Governor Jon M. Huntsman, Jr. ... State nickname: The Aloha State Other U.S. States Capital Honolulu Largest city Honolulu Governor Linda Lingle (R) Official languages Hawaiian and English Area 28,337 km² (43rd)  - Land 16,649 km²  - Water 11,672 km² (41. ... State nickname: Gem State Other U.S. States Capital Boise Largest city Boise Governor Dirk Kempthorne (R) Official languages none Area 216,632 km² (14th)  - Land 214,499 km²  - Water 2,133 km² (0. ...

In March's Super Tuesday, Kerry won decisive victories in the California, Connecticut, Georgia, Maryland, Massachusetts, New York, Ohio, and Rhode Island primaries and the Minnesota caucuses. Dean, despite having withdrawn from the race two weeks earlier, won his home state of Vermont. Edwards finished only slightly behind Kerry in Georgia, but, failing to win a single state, chose to withdraw from the presidential race. In the United States, Super Tuesday commonly refers to a Tuesday in early March of a presidential election year. ... State nickname: The Golden State Other U.S. States Capital Sacramento Largest city Los Angeles Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger (R) Official languages English Area 410,000 km² (3rd)  - Land 404,298 km²  - Water 20,047 km² (4. ... State nickname: The Constitution State Other U.S. States Capital Hartford Largest city Bridgeport Governor M. Jodi Rell (R) Official languages English Area 14,371 km² (48th)  - Land 12,559 km²  - Water 1,809 km² (12. ... State nickname: Old Line State; Free State Other U.S. States Capital Annapolis Largest city Baltimore Governor Robert L. Ehrlich Official languages English Area 32,160 km² (42nd)  - Land 25,338 km²  - Water 6,968 km² (21%) Population (2000)  - Population 5,296,486 (19th)  - Density 165 /km² (5th) Admission into... State nickname: Bay State Other U.S. States Capital Boston Largest city Boston Governor Mitt Romney (R) Official languages English Area 27,360 km² (44th)  - Land 20,317 km²  - Water 7,043 km² (25. ... State nickname: Empire State Other U.S. States Capital Albany Largest city New York Governor George Pataki (R) Official languages None (English is de facto) Area 141,205 km² (27th)  - Land 122,409 km²  - Water 18,795 km² (13. ... State nickname: The Buckeye State Other U.S. States Capital Columbus Largest city Columbus Governor Bob Taft (R) Official languages None Area 116,096 km² (34th)  - Land 106,154 km²  - Water 10,044 km² (8. ... State nickname: The Ocean State, Little Rhody Other U.S. States Capital Providence Largest city Providence Governor Donald Carcieri (R) Official languages None Area 4,005 km² (50th)  - Land 2,709 km²  - Water 1,296 km² (32. ... State nickname: North Star State Other U.S. States Capital Saint Paul Largest city Minneapolis Governor Tim Pawlenty (R) Official languages None Area 225,365 km² (12th)  - Land 206,375 km²  - Water 18,990 km² (8. ...

On July 6, John Kerry selected John Edwards as his running mate, shortly before the 2004 Democratic National Convention in Boston, Massachusetts, held later that month. Kerry made his Vietnam War experience a prominent theme of the convention. In accepting the nomination, he began his speech with, "I'm John Kerry and I'm reporting for duty." July 6 is the 187th day of the year (188th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 178 days remaining. ... 2004 Democratic National Convention logo The 2004 Democratic National Convention culminated in the arrival of John Kerry on July 29 to address the delegates. ... Nickname: Beantown, The Hub (of the Universe), Athens of America Location in Suffolk County, Massachusetts Founded  -Incorporated September 17, 1630 1820, as a city  County Suffolk County Mayor Thomas Menino (Dem) Area  - Total  - Water 232. ... The Vietnam War or Second Indochina War was a 1957 to 1975 conflict primarily between the Communist Democratic Republic of Vietnam (DRVN) and anti-communist Republic of Vietnam (RVN) that directly involved an array of pro-North and pro-South forces, most notably the Communist National Front for the Liberation...

For a full account of the Democratic nomination race, see U.S. Democratic Party presidential nomination, 2004 and John Kerry presidential campaign, 2004. The 2004 U.S. Democratic Party presidential nomination process was a series of primaries and caucuses culminating in the Democratic National Convention that decided which pair of candidates would represent the Democrats in the 2004 election for President and Vice President of the United States. ... This article is about the presidential campaign of John Kerry, U.S. Senator from Massachusetts and the nominee of the Democratic Party to challenge Republican incumbent President George W. Bush in the U.S. presidential election on November 2, 2004. ...

Ralph Nader/Peter Camejo, independent (also Reform Party)

Nader, although initially running as an independent, was listed in several states as the Reform Party candidate, the Populist Party candidate, the Better Life Party candidate, or the PEC candidate. In other states he was not a candidate because he did not meet the requirements in those states for ballot access. He was endorsed by the Reform Party; however, the Reform Party had earlier split into multiple parties, and in many states what used to be the Reform Party is now the America First Party, which endorsed Michael Peroutka and not Nader. Ralph Nader Ralph Nader (born February 27, 1934) is an activist attorney who opposes the power of large corporations and has worked for decades on environmental, consumer rights, and pro-democracy issues. ... Peter Miguel Camejo (born December 31, 1939) is a financier, businessman, political activist, environmentalist, author, and one of the founders of the socially responsible investment movement. ... The Reform Party of the United States of America (abbreviated Reform Party USA or RPUSA) is a political party in the United States, founded by Ross Perot in 1995 under the belief that Americans were disillusioned with the state of politics--as being corrupt and unable to deal with vital... The Reform Party of the United States of America (abbreviated Reform Party USA or RPUSA) is a political party in the United States, founded by Ross Perot in 1995 under the belief that Americans were disillusioned with the state of politics--as being corrupt and unable to deal with vital... ... The Better Life Party was the name of the party under which perennial candidate Ralph Nader appeared on the ballot for the 2004 presidential election in the US state of Minnesota. ... Ballot access rules regulate the conditions under which a candidate or political party is entitled to appear on voters ballots. ... A group of Pat Buchanan supporters left the Reform Party in 2002 and formed the America First Party. ... Michael Peroutka Michael Anthony Peroutka (born 1952) is a Maryland lawyer, the founder of the Institute On The Constitution and once held a position in the United States Department of Health and Human Services. ...

Nader was on the ballot in 34 states plus DC. Ralph Nader ran for the office of U.S. Presidency in the 2004 election, as he also had in several previous elections. ... ...

On September 18, 2004, the Florida Supreme Court ordered that Nader be included on the ballot in Florida for the election. The court rejected arguments that the Reform Party did not meet the requirements of the Florida election code for access to the ballot—that the party must be a "national party" and that it must have nominated its candidate in a "national convention"—and therefore Nader should have attempted to file as an independent candidate. Specifically, the court ruled that the term "national party" must be interpreted as broadly as possible. Florida is a swing state that was the subject of much controversy in the previous election. September 18 is the 261st day of the year (262nd in leap years). ... 2004 is a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The Florida Supreme Court is the highest court in the State of Florida. ... State nickname: Sunshine State Other U.S. States Capital Tallahassee Largest city Jacksonville Governor Jeb Bush (R) Official languages English Area 170,451 km² (22nd)  - Land 137,374 km²  - Water 30,486 km² (17. ... The Elections and Parties Series Democracy Representative democracy History of democracy Referenda Liberal democracy Representation Voting Voting systems Ideology Elections Elections by country Elections by calender Electoral systems Politics Politics by country Political campaigns Political science Political philosophy Related topics Political parties Parties by country Parties by name Parties by... Speeches by important party figures are key features of the convention; here, former President Jimmy Carter speaks at the 2004 Democratic National Convention A U.S. presidential nominating convention is held every four years in the United States by the political parties who will be fielding nominees in the upcoming... Presidential electoral votes by state. ...

Michael Badnarik/Richard Campagna, Libertarian Party

Badnarik was nominated by delegates to the Libertarian Party National Convention on May 30, 2004, in Atlanta, Georgia. In the closest presidential race in Libertarian Party history, Badnarik beat Talk radio host Gary Nolan and Emmy and Tony award-winning producer Aaron Russo on the third ballot. The three candidates were separated by only a handful of votes on the first two ballots. The candidates debated each other at various state Libertarian Party conventions leading up to the national convention. The debate held at the Libertarian Party of California convention (this year March 12–14 in San Jose) was aired by C-SPAN and PBS. State parties often conduct nonbinding straw polls following their debate and may then vote to endorse a candidate. However, as is normal practice, delegates to the national convention voted freely for the candidate of their choice. The Badnarik/Campagna ticket was on the ballot in 48 states and the District of Columbia, the largest number of states and number of electoral votes for any third party. The Libertarian Party failed to gain ballot access in New Hampshire and Oklahoma. See also U.S. Libertarian Party presidential nomination, 2004. Badnarik accepting the presidential nomination in May 2004 at the Libertarian National Convention in Atlanta. ... Richard Campagna, on the left, with Michael Badnarik Richard V. Campagna of Iowa City, Iowa was the vice-presidential nominee of the Libertarian Party in the 2004 U.S. presidential election. ... The Libertarian Party is a United States political party created in 1971. ... The Libertarian National Convention is held every two years by the United States Libertarian Party to choose members of the Libertarian National Committee, and to conduct other party business. ... May 30 is the 150th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (151st in leap years). ... 2004 is a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Atlanta is the capital and largest city of Georgia, a state of the United States of America. ... Talk radio is a radio format which features discussion of topical issues. ... Gary Nolan (born 1954) is a popular Talk radio host. ... An Emmy Award. ... What is popularly called the Tony Award (formally, the Antoinette Perry Award) is an annual award celebrating achievements in live American theater, including musical theater. ... Aaron Russo is an American entertainment businessman and political figure. ... City nickname: Capital of Silicon Valley Location of San Jose within Santa Clara County, California. ... C-SPAN (the Cable-Satellite Public Affairs Network) was the first United States cable television network dedicated to 24-hour coverage of government and public affairs. ... PBS re-directs here; for alternate uses see PBS (disambiguation) PBS logo The Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) is a non-profit public broadcasting television service with 349 member TV stations in the United States. ... Filed: Gary Nolan, Talk radio host Michael Badnarik, former State House candidate from Texas Aaron Russo, Emmy and Tony award-winning producer Withdrew: Clyde Cleveland, former candidate for Governor of Iowa (withdrew February 2004) David Hollist, from California Ken Krawchuk, former candidate for Governor of Pennsylvania (withdrew April 2003) Declined...

Michael Peroutka/Chuck Baldwin, Constitution Party

The Constitution Party nominated Peroutka for President on June 25, 2004, and Baldwin for Vice President on the 26th. Former Alabama Supreme Court Chief Justice Roy Moore, a possible Constitution Party presidential nominee, did not attend the convention. The Peroutka/Baldwin ticket was on the ballot in 36 states. Michael Peroutka Michael Anthony Peroutka (born 1952) is a Maryland lawyer, the founder of the Institute On The Constitution and once held a position in the United States Department of Health and Human Services. ... Categories: 1952 births | Stub ... The Constitution Party is a conservative third party in the United States, founded as the U.S. Taxpayers Party in 1992. ... June 25 is the 176th day of the year (177th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 189 days remaining. ... 2004 is a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... June 26 is the 177th day of the year (178th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 188 days remaining. ... Roy Stuart Moore (born February 11, 1947) is known as the Ten Commandments judge. ...

David Cobb/Pat LaMarche, Green Party

Cobb was chosen as the Presidential candidate of the Green Party on the second ballot at the Green National Convention on June 25, 2004; LaMarche was nominated as the party's Vice Presidential candidate. It is notable that Nader was seeking the endorsement of the Green Party for his presidential run, but the membership decided to nominate Cobb as the Green Party presidential candidate, in part due to an eagerness among Greens to distance the party from the "spoiler" label. The Cobb/LaMarche ticket was on the ballot in 27 states, plus the District of Columbia. David Cobb David Keith Cobb (born 1963, San Leon, Texas) is an American lawyer and activist, and was the 2004 presidential candidate of the Green Party of the United States (GPUS). ... Pat LaMarche Patricia Helen LaMarche (born 26 November 1960) is an American political figure and activist with the Green Party; she was the partys vice-presidential candidate in the 2004 U.S. presidential election, with David Cobb as its presidential candidate, and is one of seven co-chairs of... In American politics, the Green Party is a third party which has been active in some areas since the 1980s, but first gained widespread public attention for Ralph Naders presidential runs in 1996 and 2000. ... June 25 is the 176th day of the year (177th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 189 days remaining. ... 2004 is a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The spoiler effect is a term to describe the effect a candidate can have on a close election, in which their candidacy results in the election being won by a candidate dissimilar to them, rather than a candidate similar to them. ...

Timeline

See U.S. presidential election, 2004 timeline The following is a timeline of events during the 2004 U.S. presidential election: // 2002 May 31 - Vermont Governor Howard B. Dean III forms a presidential exploratory committee. ...

Debates

Main article: U.S. presidential election debates, 2004 The 2004 United States Presidential Election Debates were sponsored by the Commission on Presidential Debates (CPD) and concluded October 13, nearly three weeks before election scheduled for November 2, 2004. ...

Three presidential debates were organized by the Commission on Presidential Debates: The Commission on Presidential Debates was created by the Democratic and Republican parties in 1987 to moderate the U.S. presidential election debates. ...

1. September 30 at the University of Miami, with questions from moderator Jim Lehrer of PBS. Topics were foreign policy and homeland security.
2. October 8 at Washington University in St. Louis, in a town-hall format moderated by Charles Gibson of ABC.
3. October 13 at Arizona State University, with questions from moderator Bob Schieffer of CBS. Topics were domestic and economic policy.

One vice presidential debate was held: September 30 is the 273rd day of the year (274th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 92 days remaining, as the final day of September. ... This is an article about the University of Miami in Coral Gables, Florida. ... Jim Lehrer Jim Lehrer (born May 19, 1934 in Wichita, Kansas) is the news anchor for The NewsHour with Jim Lehrer on PBS. // He attended middle school in Beaumont, Texas, and graduated from Thomas Jefferson High School in San Antonio, Texas, where he was one of the three sports editors... PBS logo The Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) is a non-profit public broadcasting television service with 349 member TV stations in the United States. ... Military personnel have started to guard transportation facilities such as Penn Station as part of homeland security efforts. ... October 8 is the 281st day of the year (282nd in leap years). ... Washington University in St. ... Charles Gibson Charles (Charlie) Gibson (born March 9, 1943) is an American television journalist, best known as co-host of Good Morning America on ABC from January 1987 to May 1998 and from January 1999 to the present. ... The American Broadcasting Company (ABC) is a television and radio network in the United States. ... October 13 is the 286th day of the year (287th in leap years). ... Arizona State University (ASU) is (as of 2004) one of the largest universities in terms of enrollment in the United States with a student body of 57,543. ... Bob Schieffer Robert Schieffer (born February 25, 1937 in Austin, Texas) has been a journalist with CBS News since 1969, serving as a principal anchor since 1973, chief Washington correspondent since 1982, moderator of the Sunday public affairs show Face the Nation since 1991, and, beginning in March of 2005... CBS (Columbia Broadcasting System) is a major radio and television network in the United States. ...

• October 5 at Case Western Reserve University, moderated by Gwen Ifill of PBS.

October 5 is the 278th day of the year (279th in Leap years). ... Case Western Reserve University is a private research university located in Cleveland, Ohio, USA. It was formed in 1967 by the federation of Case Institute of Technology (founded in 1880 by philanthropist Leonard Case Jr. ... Categories: People stubs | 1955 births | African Americans | PBS television network ...

Newspaper endorsements

The online edition of Editor & Publisher, a journal covering the North American newspaper industry, tabulated newspaper endorsements for the two major candidates. As of November 1, 2004, their tally showed the following: Editor & Publisher (E&P) is a now-monthly journal covering the North American newspaper industry. ... 2004 is a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 2004 is a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

A more complete breakdown is also available, including changes between 2000 and 2004. The online edition of Editor & Publisher, a journal covering the North American newspaper industry, tabulates newspaper endorsements for the two major candidates, Republican incumbent George W. Bush and Democratic challenger John Kerry, in the 2004 United States presidential election. ...

Electoral College changes from 2000

The U.S. population is continuously shifting, and some states grow in population faster than others. With the completion of the 2000 census, Congressional reapportionment took place, moving some representative districts from the slowest growing states to the fastest growing. As a result, several states had a different number of electors in the U.S. Electoral College in 2004 than in 2000, since the number of electors allotted to each state is equal to the sum of the number of Senators and Representatives from that state. The Congress of the United States is the legislative branch of the federal government of the United States of America. ... The membership of the United States House of Representatives changes each decade following the decennial United States Census. ... The United States Electoral College is the electoral college which chooses the President and Vice President of the United States at the conclusion of each Presidential election. ... Seal of the Senate The United States Senate is one of the two houses of the Congress of the United States, the other being the House of Representatives. ... Seal of the House of Representatives The United States House of Representatives is one of the two houses of the Congress of the United States, the other being the Senate. ...

The following table shows the change in electors from the 2000 election. Red states represent those won by Bush; and Blue states, those won by both Gore and Kerry. All states, except Nebraska and Maine, use a winner-take-all allocation of electors. Each of these states was won by the same party in 2004 that had won it in 2000; thus, George W. Bush received a net gain of seven electoral votes due to reapportionment. Presidential electoral votes by state. ... George Walker Bush (born July 6, 1946) // Personal life, service and education Bush is the son of George H. W. Bush and Barbara Bush. ... Albert Arnold Gore Jr. ... John Forbes Kerry (born December 11, 1943) is the junior United States Senator from Massachusetts. ... The first-past-the-post electoral system is a voting system for single-member districts, variously called first-past-the-post (FPTP or FPP), winner-take-all, plurality voting, or relative majority. ...

(This table uses the currently common Red->Republican, Blue->Democratic color association, as do the maps on this page. Some older party-affiliation maps on Wikipedia use the opposite color coding, for historical reasons.)

Vote splitting concerns

Some supporters of Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry were concerned that the independent candidacy of Ralph Nader would split the vote against the incumbent, thus allowing the Republican presidential candidate George W. Bush to win the 2004 election. Many Democrats blame Ralph Nader for splitting the vote in the 2000 presidential election when he ran as the candidate of the Green Party. The Democratic Party is one of the two major political parties in the United States. ... John Forbes Kerry (born December 11, 1943) is the junior United States Senator from Massachusetts. ... Ralph Nader Ralph Nader (born February 27, 1934) is an activist attorney who opposes the power of large corporations and has worked for decades on environmental, consumer rights, and pro-democracy issues. ... This article or section should be merged with Spoiler effect A split vote, or vote splitting, occurs in an election when the existence of two or more candidates that represent relatively similar viewpoints among voters reduces the votes received by each of them, reducing the chances of any one of... The Republican Party, often called the GOP (for Grand Old Party, although one early citation described it as the Gallant Old Party) [1], is one of the two major political parties in the United States. ... George Walker Bush (born July 6, 1946) // Personal life, service and education Bush is the son of George H. W. Bush and Barbara Bush. ... Presidential electoral votes by state. ... In American politics, the Green Party is a third party which has been active in some areas since the 1980s, but first gained widespread public attention for Ralph Naders presidential runs in 1996 and 2000. ...

Such splits are of particular concern because most states assign the presidential electors they send to the Electoral College, to the candidate with the most votes (a plurality), even if those votes are less than 50 percent of the total votes cast—in such a situation, a relatively small number of votes can make a very big difference. For instance, a candidate who won narrow pluralities in a significant number of states could win a majority in the Electoral College even though they did not win a majority or even a plurality of the national popular vote. While Ralph Nader and the Green Party ultimately support replacing the Electoral College with direct popular elections, both have also suggested that states instead use instant-runoff voting to select their presidential electors, which would partially address the issue of vote splitting. The United States Electoral College is the electoral college which chooses the President and Vice President of the United States at the conclusion of each Presidential election. ... A plurality (or relative majority) is the largest share of something, which may or may not be a majority. ... This article is about the political process. ... When the single transferable vote voting system is applied to a single-winner election it is sometimes called instant-runoff voting (IRV), as it is much like holding a series of runoff elections in which the lowest polling candidate is eliminated in each round until someone receives majority vote. ...

Opponents of Ralph Nader's candidacy often referred to vote splitting as the spoiler effect. Some voters who preferred Ralph Nader's positions over John Kerry's voted for John Kerry to avoid splitting the vote against the incumbent, claiming to be choosing the "lesser of two evils." These voters often used slogans such as, "anybody but Bush," and "a vote for Nader is a vote for Bush." A group of people who supported Nader in 2000 released a statement entitled Vote to Stop Bush, urging support for Kerry/Edwards in swing states. Whether due to this campaign or other factors, the impact of Nader on the election's outcome ultimately proved inconsequential, as he received less than 1 percent of the national vote. The spoiler effect is a term to describe the effect a candidate can have on a close election, in which their candidacy results in the election being won by a candidate dissimilar to them, rather than a candidate similar to them. ... Vote to Stop Bush is a statement endorsed by prominent Ralph Nader supporters from his 2000 campaign who in 2004 urge[d] support for Kerry/Edwards in all swing states, even while [they] strongly disagree with Kerrys policies on Iraq and other issues. Most of the signers were members...

Battleground states

See 2004 swing state section in Swing states. In United States presidential politics, a swing state (also, battleground state) is a state in which no candidate has overwhelming support, meaning that any of the major candidates have a reasonable chance of winning the states electoral college votes. ... In United States presidential politics, a swing state (also, battleground state) is a state in which no candidate has overwhelming support, meaning that any of the major candidates have a reasonable chance of winning the states electoral college votes. ...

Presidential popular votes by county. Most counties are purple rather than strictly red or blue.

During the campaign and as the results came in on the night of the election there was much focus on Ohio, Florida, and Pennsylvania. These three "swing" states were seen as evenly divided, and with each casting 20 electoral votes or more they had the power to decide the election. As the final results came in, Kerry took Pennsylvania and then Bush took Florida, focusing all attention on Ohio. Presidential popular votes by county. ... Presidential popular votes by county. ... State nickname: The Buckeye State Other U.S. States Capital Columbus Largest city Columbus Governor Bob Taft (R) Official languages None Area 116,096 km² (34th)  - Land 106,154 km²  - Water 10,044 km² (8. ... State nickname: Sunshine State Other U.S. States Capital Tallahassee Largest city Jacksonville Governor Jeb Bush (R) Official languages English Area 170,451 km² (22nd)  - Land 137,374 km²  - Water 30,486 km² (17. ... State nickname: The Keystone State Other U.S. States Capital Harrisburg Largest city Philadelphia Governor Ed Rendell (D) Official languages None Area 119,283 km² (33rd)  - Land 116,074 km²  - Water 3,208 km² (2. ...

The morning after the election both candidates were virtually neck and neck and it was clear that the result in Ohio, which along with two other states (New Mexico and Iowa) had still not declared, would decide the winner. Bush had established a lead of around 130,000 votes but the Democrats pointed to provisional ballots that had yet to be counted, initially reported to number as high as 200,000. Bush had preliminary leads of less than 5 percent of the vote in only four states, but even if Iowa, Nevada and New Mexico had all eventually gone to Kerry, a Bush win in Ohio would have created a 269–269 tie in the Electoral College, resulting in the House of Representatives voting to decide the winner, with each state, regardless of its population, casting one vote. That scenario would almost certainly have resulted in a Bush victory, because Republicans control more House delegations. Therefore, the outcome of the election hinged solely on the result in Ohio, regardless of the final totals elsewhere. In the afternoon Ohio's Secretary of State, Kenneth Blackwell, announced that it was statistically impossible for the Democrats to make up enough valid votes in the provisional ballots, now reportedly numbering 140,000 (and later still estimated to be only 135,000), to win, and John Kerry conceded defeat. State nickname: Land of Enchantment Other U.S. States Capital Santa Fe Largest city Albuquerque Governor Bill Richardson Official languages English and Spanish Area 315,194 km² (5th)  - Land 314,590 km²  - Water 607 km² (0. ... State nickname: The Hawkeye State Other U.S. States Capital Des Moines Largest city Des Moines Governor Thomas Vilsack (D) Official languages English Area 145,743 km² (26th)  - Land 144,701 km²  - Water 1,042 km² (0. ... In U.S. elections, when someone shows up at a polling place to cast a vote, but is not on the list of people who may vote there (is not registered in that precinct, or his registation is otherwise invalid or inaccurate), he may be allowed to cast a provisional... State nickname: Silver State, Battle Born State (official) Other U.S. States Capital Carson City Largest city Las Vegas Governor Kenny Guinn (R) Official languages None Area 286,367 km² (7th)  - Land 284,396 km²  - Water 1,971 km² (0. ... The United States Electoral College is the electoral college which chooses the President and Vice President of the United States at the conclusion of each Presidential election. ... John Kenneth Blackwell (born February 28, 1942) is an American politician of the Republican party, who currently (as of 2005) serves as the secretary of state for the U.S. state of Ohio. ...

Presidential popular votes cartogram, in which the sizes of counties have been rescaled according to their population.

The upper Midwest bloc of Minnesota, Iowa, and Wisconsin is also notable, casting a sum of 27 electoral votes. However, all the swing states are important. The following is list of the states considered swing states in the 2004 election by most news organizations and which candidate they eventually went for. The two major parties chose to focus their advertising on these states: Presidential popular votes cartogram, in which the sizes of counties have been rescaled according to their population. ... Presidential popular votes cartogram, in which the sizes of counties have been rescaled according to their population. ... Categories: Stub ... State nickname: North Star State Other U.S. States Capital Saint Paul Largest city Minneapolis Governor Tim Pawlenty (R) Official languages None Area 225,365 km² (12th)  - Land 206,375 km²  - Water 18,990 km² (8. ... State nickname: The Hawkeye State Other U.S. States Capital Des Moines Largest city Des Moines Governor Thomas Vilsack (D) Official languages English Area 145,743 km² (26th)  - Land 144,701 km²  - Water 1,042 km² (0. ... State nickname: Badger State State motto: Forward Other U.S. States Capital Madison Largest city Milwaukee Governor Jim Doyle (D) Official languages None Area 169,790 km² (23rd)  - Land 140,787 km²  - Water 28,006 km² (17%) Population (2000)  - Population 5,453,896 (18th)  - Density 38. ...

Bush:

• Colorado
• Florida
• Iowa
• New Mexico
• Nevada
• Ohio
• West Virginia

Kerry: This is the article on the state. ... State nickname: Sunshine State Other U.S. States Capital Tallahassee Largest city Jacksonville Governor Jeb Bush (R) Official languages English Area 170,451 km² (22nd)  - Land 137,374 km²  - Water 30,486 km² (17. ... State nickname: The Hawkeye State Other U.S. States Capital Des Moines Largest city Des Moines Governor Thomas Vilsack (D) Official languages English Area 145,743 km² (26th)  - Land 144,701 km²  - Water 1,042 km² (0. ... State nickname: Land of Enchantment Other U.S. States Capital Santa Fe Largest city Albuquerque Governor Bill Richardson Official languages English and Spanish Area 315,194 km² (5th)  - Land 314,590 km²  - Water 607 km² (0. ... State nickname: Silver State, Battle Born State (official) Other U.S. States Capital Carson City Largest city Las Vegas Governor Kenny Guinn (R) Official languages None Area 286,367 km² (7th)  - Land 284,396 km²  - Water 1,971 km² (0. ... State nickname: The Buckeye State Other U.S. States Capital Columbus Largest city Columbus Governor Bob Taft (R) Official languages None Area 116,096 km² (34th)  - Land 106,154 km²  - Water 10,044 km² (8. ... State nickname: Mountain State Other U.S. States Capital Charleston Largest city Charleston Governor Joe Manchin (D) Official languages English Area 62,809 km² (41st)  - Land 62,436 km²  - Water 376 km² (0. ...

• Maine
• Michigan
• Minnesota
• New Hampshire
• Oregon
• Pennsylvania
• Wisconsin

State nickname: The Pine Tree State Other U.S. States Capital Augusta Largest city Portland Governor John Baldacci (D) Official languages None Area 86,542 km² (39th)  - Land 80,005 km²  - Water 11,724 km² (13. ... State nickname: Wolverine State or Great Lakes State Other U.S. States Capital Lansing Largest city Detroit Governor Jennifer Granholm (D) Official languages English Area 250,941 km² (11th)  - Land 147,255 km²  - Water 103,687 km² (41. ... State nickname: North Star State Other U.S. States Capital Saint Paul Largest city Minneapolis Governor Tim Pawlenty (R) Official languages None Area 225,365 km² (12th)  - Land 206,375 km²  - Water 18,990 km² (8. ... State nickname: The Granite State Other U.S. States Capital Concord Largest city Manchester Governor John Lynch (D) Official languages English Area 24,239 km² (46th)  - Land 23,249 km²  - Water 814 km² (3. ... State nickname: Beaver State Other U.S. States Capital Salem Largest city Portland Governor Ted Kulongoski (D) Official languages None Area 255,026 km² (9th)  - Land 248,849 km²  - Water 6,177 km² (2. ... State nickname: The Keystone State Other U.S. States Capital Harrisburg Largest city Philadelphia Governor Ed Rendell (D) Official languages None Area 119,283 km² (33rd)  - Land 116,074 km²  - Water 3,208 km² (2. ... State nickname: Badger State State motto: Forward Other U.S. States Capital Madison Largest city Milwaukee Governor Jim Doyle (D) Official languages None Area 169,790 km² (23rd)  - Land 140,787 km²  - Water 28,006 km² (17%) Population (2000)  - Population 5,453,896 (18th)  - Density 38. ...

New during this campaign

International observers

At the request of the United States government, the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) sent a team of observers to monitor the presidential elections in 2004. It was the first time the OSCE had sent observers to a U.S. presidential election, although they had been invited in the past [3]. In September 2004 The OSCE issued a report (PDF 168K) on US electoral processes.[4][5] The Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) is an international organization for security. ... 2004 : January - February - March - April - May - June - July - August - September - October - November - December See also: September 2004 in sports Deaths in September • 27 Tsai Wan-lin • 24 Françoise Sagan • 20 Brian Clough • 18 Russ Meyer • 15 Johnny Ramone • 12 Fred Ebb • 11 Peter VII of Alexandria • 8 Richard Girnt...

Earlier, some 13 U.S. Representatives from the Democratic Party had sent a letter to United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan asking for the UN to monitor the elections. The UN responded that such a request could only come from the official national executive. The move was met by considerable opposition from Republican lawmakers [6]. The OSCE is not affiliated with the United Nations. Seal of the House of Representatives The United States House of Representatives is one of the two houses of the Congress of the United States, the other being the Senate. ... The Democratic Party is one of the two major United States political parties. ... The United Nations, or UN, is an international organization established in 1945 and now made up of 191 states. ... Order: 7th Secretary-General Term of office: January 1, 1997–present Predecessor: Boutros Boutros-Ghali Successor: incumbent Born: April 8, 1938 Place of birth: Kumasi, Ghana Kofi Atta Annan (born April 8, 1938) is a Ghanian diplomat and the seventh and current Secretary-General of the United Nations. ...

International observers faced a number of hurdles. Because U.S. electoral law is largely state law, individual U.S. states could refuse to allow them to observe the elections on various grounds; for instance, a state law may require observers to be registered voters from the area. [7]

Electronic voting

Some states rushed to have new electronic voting systems operational for the 2004 election. Many security analysts warned that computer voting terminals had a significant possibility of voter fraud or data corruption by a software attack. Others said that recounts would be nearly impossible with the machines and criticized the lack of a "paper trail," which is included in many other trivial events such as grocery shopping or using an ATM. Machines which do not use a paper trail are called Direct Recording Electronic (DRE) systems. One of the largest manufacturers of DRE voting systems is Diebold, also a manufacturer of ATMs. Author Bev Harris, in her book Black Box Voting, describes in detail the problems created by DRE systems. Electronic voting (also known as e-voting and including Internet voting and other online voting) is any of several means of determining peoples collective intent electronically. ... Electoral fraud is the deliberate interference with the process of an election. ... Outdoor ATMs may be free-standing, like this kiosk, or built into the side of banks or other buildings An automatic teller machine or automated teller machine (ATM) is an electronic device that allows a banks customers to make cash withdrawals and check their account balances without the need... Direct Recording Electronic (DRE) voting machines are computerized voting machines that tally the vote internally. ... Diebold, Incorporated (NYSE: DBD) is a security systems corporation which is engaged primarily in the sale, manufacture, installation and service of self-service transaction systems (such as ATMs), electronic and physical security products (including vaults and currency processing systems), and software and integrated systems for global financial and commercial markets. ... Outdoor ATMs may be free-standing, like this kiosk, or built into the side of banks or other buildings An automatic teller machine or automated teller machine (ATM) is an electronic device that allows a banks customers to make cash withdrawals and check their account balances without the need... Bev Harris is an activist and writer who has led the charge against Diebold electronic voting systems in the United States. ... Black Box Voting is voting on electronic machines which dont print paper ballots. ...

Proponents of computer voting say that the intent of the voter can be recorded with greater certainty and accuracy than using paper ballots.

Better World Links on Electronic Voting

Campaign law changes

The 2004 election was the first to be affected by the campaign finance reforms mandated by the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act of 2002 (also known as the McCain-Feingold Bill for its sponsors in the United States Senate). Because of the Act's restrictions on candidates' and parties' fundraising, a large number of so-called 527 groups emerged. Named for a section of the Internal Revenue Code, these groups were able to raise large amounts of money for various political causes as long as they do not coordinate their activities with political campaigns. Examples of 527s include Swift Boat Veterans for Truth, MoveOn.org, the Media Fund, and America Coming Together. Many such groups were active throughout the campaign season. (There was some similar activity, although on a much lesser scale, during the 2000 campaign.) Campaign finance reform is the common term for the political effort in the United States to change the involvement of money in politics, primarily in political campaigns. ... The Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act of 2002 (BCRA) is U.S. Congressional legislation which regulates the financing of political campaigns. ... Office: Senior Senator, Arizona Political party: Republican Term of office: January, 1987–Present Preceded by: Barry Goldwater Succeeded by: Incumbent (2011) Date of birth: August 29, 1936 Place of birth: U.S. Panama Canal Zone Marriage: Cindy McCain John Sidney McCain III (born August 29, 1936) is an American politician. ... Office: Junior Senator, Wisconsin Political party: Democratic Term of office: January 1993–Present Preceded by: Bob Kasten Succeeded by: Incumbent (2011) Date of birth: March 2, 1953 Place of birth: Janesville, Wisconsin Marriage: (1) Sue Feingold, divorced (2) Mary Feingold Russell Dana Feingold (born March 2, 1953) is an American... Seal of the Senate The United States Senate is one of the two houses of the Congress of the United States, the other being the House of Representatives. ... A 527 group, named after a section of the United States tax code, is a tax-exempt organization that is created primarily to influence the nomination, election, appointment or defeat of candidates for public office. ... The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) is the United States government agency that collects taxes and enforces the tax laws. ... Swift Vets and POWs for Truth, formerly known as the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth (SBVT), is an organization of American Swift boat veterans and former prisoners of war of the Vietnam War, formed during the 2004 presidential election campaign. ... A group of MoveOn volunteers helped the get-out-the-vote drive in Cincinnati in the run-up to the 2004 U.S. presidential election. ... The Media Fund is a 527 Group, active in U.S. politics, which was supporting John Kerrys campaign for President. ... America Coming Together, commonly abbreviated ACT, is a 527 committee dedicated to get-out-the-vote activities. ...

To distinguish official campaigning from independent campaigning, political advertisements on television were required to include a verbal disclaimer identifying the organization responsible for the advertisement. Advertisements produced by political campaigns usually included the statement "I'm [candidate's name], and I approve this message." Advertisements produced by independent organizations usually included the statement "[Organization name] is responsible for the content of this advertisement," and from September 3 (60 days before the general election), such organizations' ads were prohibited from mentioning any candidate by name. Previously, television advertisements only required a written "paid for by" disclaimer on the screen. September 3 is the 246th day of the year (247th in leap years). ...

This law was not well known or widely publicized at the beginning of the Democratic primary season, which led to some early misperception of Howard Dean, who was the first candidate to buy television advertising in this election cycle. Not realizing that the law required the phrasing, some people viewing the ads reportedly questioned why Dean might say such a thing—such questions were easier to ask because of the maverick nature of Dean's campaign in general.

Colorado's Amendment 36

Main article: Colorado Amendment 36

A ballot initiative in Colorado, known as Amendment 36, would have changed the way in which the state apportions its electoral votes. Rather than assigning all 9 of the state's electors to the candidate with a plurality of popular votes, under the amendment Colorado would have assigned presidential electors proportionally to the statewide vote count, which would be a unique system (Nebraska and Maine assign electoral votes based on vote totals within each congressional district). Detractors claimed that this splitting would diminish Colorado's influence in the Electoral College, and the amendment ultimately failed, receiving only 34% of the vote. In the November 2004 United States election, one of the issues up for a vote in the state of Colorado was known as Amendment 36. ... This is the article on the state. ... In the November 2004 United States election, one of the issues up for a vote in the state of Colorado was known as Amendment 36. ... A plurality (or relative majority) is the largest share of something, which may or may not be a majority. ... State nickname: Cornhusker State Other U.S. States Capital Lincoln Largest city Omaha Governor Dave Heineman (R) Official languages English Area 200,520 km² (16th)  - Land 199,099 km²  - Water 1,247 km² (0. ... State nickname: The Pine Tree State Other U.S. States Capital Augusta Largest city Portland Governor John Baldacci (D) Official languages None Area 86,542 km² (39th)  - Land 80,005 km²  - Water 11,724 km² (13. ...

Legal challenges

Election watchers and political analysts forecast a number of contested election results in a manner similar to the Florida voting recount of 2000. Various states grappled with their own legal issues that could have affected the outcome of the vote, while both of the major political parties and a number of independent groups like the ACLU marshaled numbers of lawyers. State nickname: Sunshine State Other U.S. States Capital Tallahassee Largest city Jacksonville Governor Jeb Bush (R) Official languages English Area 170,451 km² (22nd)  - Land 137,374 km²  - Water 30,486 km² (17. ... This article is about the year 2000. ... The American Civil Liberties Union, or ACLU, is a non_governmental organization devoted to defending civil rights and civil liberties in the United States. ...

In several states including Ohio, Colorado, Florida, and Nevada, there were lawsuits or other disputes about such issues as "voter challenging," voter registration, and absentee ballots. These were considered unlikely to change the Electoral College result. In Florida, for example, multiple lawsuits were filed even before the election, but few observers expected any of them to change the official result that Bush had outpolled Kerry by roughly 400,000 votes. As of the morning of November 3rd, the deciding state in the electoral vote count was Ohio, where Bush held a 136,000 vote lead. Democrats' hopes rested on the approximately 135,000 provisional ballots that had yet to be counted. Nevertheless, after concluding that a recount would not change the election results, Kerry conceded defeat at about 11:00 EST that morning, and George W. Bush declared victory the afternoon of the same day. State nickname: The Buckeye State Other U.S. States Capital Columbus Largest city Columbus Governor Bob Taft (R) Official languages None Area 116,096 km² (34th)  - Land 106,154 km²  - Water 10,044 km² (8. ... This is the article on the state. ... State nickname: Sunshine State Other U.S. States Capital Tallahassee Largest city Jacksonville Governor Jeb Bush (R) Official languages English Area 170,451 km² (22nd)  - Land 137,374 km²  - Water 30,486 km² (17. ... State nickname: Silver State, Battle Born State (official) Other U.S. States Capital Carson City Largest city Las Vegas Governor Kenny Guinn (R) Official languages None Area 286,367 km² (7th)  - Land 284,396 km²  - Water 1,971 km² (0. ... The Eastern Standard Time Zone is a geographic region that keeps time by subtracting five hours from Coordinated Universal Time (UTC). ...

Two of the third-party candidates, Badnarik and Cobb, cooperated in requesting a recount of the Ohio vote (although Cobb led the effort). After announcing their intention and soliciting donations, they quickly raised $150,000 to cover the state's required fee and other costs. A statewide recount of the presidential vote was completed; however, some observers claim that the recount was conducted improperly, and illegally, and have filed a new lawsuit, which is currently pending. The Congressional Democrats who objected to the counting of Ohio's electoral votes relied on part on information about voting irregularities provided by observers working for the Cobb campaign.

Election controversy

Main articles: 2004 U.S. election voting controversies (summary); 2004 U.S. presidential election controversy and irregularities (detail). After the November 2, 2004 election in the United States, concerns were raised, by some democrats, about various aspects of the voting process, including whether voting had been made accessible to all those entitled to vote (and no one else), and whether the votes cast had been correctly counted. ... After the 2004 U.S. Presidential election there were allegations of massive fraud, including but not limited to forging vote totals, miscounting votes for Kerry as votes for Bush, widespread voter intimidation and depriving neighborhoods likely to vote for Kerry of voting machines. ...

After the election, some sources reported indications of possible data irregularities and systematic flaws during the voting process, which are covered in detail by the election controversy articles. Democratic members of the House Judiciary Committee, and other political organizations, are investigating further. No comprehensive independently reviewed analyses have yet been publicly released, but the People for the American Way Foundation produced a preliminary report on vote suppression in the election (pdf) and the House Judiciary Committee Democrats released a 100-page status report (pdf) on irregularities and potential illegal conduct in Ohio. U.S. House Committee on the Judiciary, or (more commonly) the House Judiciary Committee, is a standing committee of the United States House of Representatives. ... People for the American Way Foundation is the charitable arm of People for the American Way, a progressive advocacy organization in the United States. ...

One part of the controversy relates to electronic and optical-scan voting machines, which were used in greater numbers than before due to concerns over the reliability of manual machines raised during the 2000 election. Other reported problems relate to abnormally high voter turnout (more votes in many precincts than registered voters in said precincts), discrepancies between exit poll data and actual results especially in swing states, and the complications which arose due to machine shortages, particularly in highly Democrat areas and in closely contested states. A voting machine is a device to record and register votes to be counted as per any voting system, with or without printing a ballot for the voter to verify. ... Presidential electoral votes by state. ...

Although the overall result of the election was not challenged by the Kerry campaign, third-party presidential candidates David Cobb and Michael Badnarik obtained a recount in Ohio. This recount was completed December 28, 2004, amid allegations of illegal recount procedures in many counties. State nickname: The Buckeye State Other U.S. States Capital Columbus Largest city Columbus Governor Bob Taft (R) Official languages None Area 116,096 km² (34th)  - Land 106,154 km²  - Water 10,044 km² (8. ... December 28 is the 362nd day of the year (363rd in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 3 days remaining. ... 2004 is a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

In the January 6 House of Representatives vote at the official counting of the electoral votes, the motion to reject Ohio's electoral votes was supported by 31 Democrats. It was opposed by 178 Republicans, 88 Democrats and one independent. Not voting were 52 Republicans and 80 Democrats. [8] Four people elected to the House had not yet taken office, and one seat was vacant. When the Senate rejected a similar motion, it was supported only by its maker, Senator Boxer, with 74 Senators opposed and 25 not voting. During the debate, not one Senator, either Democrat or Republican, argued that the outcome of the election should be changed by either court challenge or revote. Senator Boxer claimed that she had made the motion not to challenge the outcome, but to "shed the light of truth on these irregularities." January 6 is the 6th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... Office: Junior Senator, California Political party: Democratic Term of office: January, 1993–Present Preceded by: Alan Cranston Succeeded by: Incumbent (2011) Date of birth: November 11, 1940 Place of birth: Brooklyn, New York Marriage: Stewart Boxer Barbara Levy Boxer (born November 11, 1940 in Brooklyn, New York) is an American...

See also

• Results of the U.S. presidential election, 2004
• U.S. gubernatorial elections, 2004
• U.S. House election, 2004
• U.S. Senate election, 2004
• Canada and the 2004 U.S. presidential election
• 2004 U.S. presidential election timeline
• History of the United States (1988-present)

U.S. presidential election, 2004 detailed results. ... U.S. gubernatorial elections of 2004 were held on November 2, 2004. ... Elections to the 109th United States House of Representatives were held on November 2, 2004. ... Results -- light red represents Republican holds, dark red Republican pickups, light blue Democratic holds, dark blue Democratic pickups. ... While the entire world paid close attention to the 2004 U.S. presidential election, few countries were doing so more than Canada. ... Presidential electoral votes by state. ... // 1988 presidential election For details see the main article U.S. presidential election, 1988. ...

Sources

• "Presidential Results by Congressional District." Polidata. Washington, D.C.: Polidata. Accessed on July 29, 2005.

July 29 is the 210th day (211th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian Calendar, with 155 days remaining. ... 2005 is a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar and is the current year. ...

External links

Official candidate websites (alphabetical, by last name)

• Michael Badnarik (Libertarian)
• David Cobb (Green)
• John Kerry (Democrat)
• Ralph Nader (Independent)
• Michael Peroutka (Constitution)

A website originally existed for George W. Bush's campaign, but after the election it was removed and the URL now redirects to the Republican Party website. The other five candidates continued to run their campaign websites as personal sites.

Official party websites (alphabetical, by political party)

• Constitution Party
• Democratic National Committee
• Green Party of the United States
• Libertarian Party
• Reform Party
• Republican National Committee

Election video archive

• Internet Archive's Election 2004 archive has lots of freely downloadable movies

Election 2004 link directories

• Better World Links - 3000 Links on the U.S. Presidential Election 2004
• E-Democracy - US Election 2004 Links
• Looksmart - US Presidential Election 2004
• Open Directory Project - Presidential Campaign 2004
• Yahoo! - 2004 Presidential Election

State-by-state forecasts of electoral vote outcome

• Probability analysis of Electoral College based on latest poll results by state
• Electoral Vote Predictor 2004
• Election Projection: Detailed electoral analysis, updated frequently
• Coldheartedtruth Battleground States Election Projection
• Federal Review Composite Poll
• Larry J. Sabato's Crystal Ball
• Professor Pollkatz's Pool of Polls
• Wake Up America Election Projections
• Running the Numbers: Election 2004
• Swing State Project
• Hedgehog Report's Bush vs. Kerry
• President Elect: swing-state analysis, updated infrequently
• Race 2004
• Dale's Electoral College Breakdown 2004
• http://polls.ontheweb.nl/
• USA Today polls
• Electoral college simulations

Analysis of the election

• Maps by counties of the US Elections, 1856-2004 (text in french)
• Alternate views of the electoral results map
• Analysis of misleading advertising from both Bush and Kerry
• Coldhearted analysis of the election
• Election Results Map
• Prof. Sam Wang's Electoral College Meta-Analysis
• Electoral Vote Predictor
• Estimated odds of various election outcomes
• Gallup Poll: LATEST SNAPSHOT Based on Likely Voters
• Hedgehog Report
• How the 2004 Presidential Election Impacted the Way Americans Speak
• Reaching Out is a Two-Way Street
• US Election 2004 Web Monitor

Minnesota electoral voting snafu

• Duluth News Tribune
• Minnesota Public Radio

Election 2004 global debate and voting

• Talk to US
• The world speaks
• The world votes
• Globalvote 2004

Election 2004 protests

• CounterConvention.org: Information on groups protesting the 2004 Republican National Convention

Election 2004 news media

• Associated Press Presidential Elections
• BBC Vote USA 2004
• CNN America Votes 2004
• Fox News You Decide 2004: Election 2004 coverage
• The Guardian US Elections 2004
• The Washington Post Election 2004 coverage
• Yahoo! News Election 2004
• Directory of Media Endorsements including links to read them and some 2000 vs. 2004 endorsement analysis.
• The journal Science's interview with the 2 candidates regarding their positions on science

News articles

• Green Party considers 2004 strategy - MSNBC, July 2003

Election campaign funding

• 2004 Center for Responsive Politics compiles data about who gives and who receives
• Money Maps

Interactives

• AOL/TIME Presidential Match
• Interactive electoral college map