THE BURNED OVER DISTRICT

In standard fashion, after a casual count gives a Republican an election win, the party immediately goes into stop the count mode regardless of the number of uncounted ballors remaining. In Florida and Georgia, after strenous efforts to keep potential Democrats from the polls, the Republicans now want to stop counting the votes of those who did succeed in voting.

With his margin of victory in Florida’s Senate race narrowing, Gov. Rick Scott phoned in the lawyers. Addressing reporters in Tallahassee on Thursday night, Scott (R) declared that he was suing to stop Democrats from stealing what he said was his midterm victory over incumbent Democratic Sen. Bill Nelson. His ire in particular zeroed in on two South Florida counties.

“Every Floridian should be concerned there may be rampant fraud happening in Palm Beach and Broward counties,” Scott said. “I will not sit idly by while unethical liberals try to steal this election from the people of Florida.”

Back in Washington, President Trump echoed the allegation. “Law Enforcement is looking into another big corruption scandal having to do with Election Fraud in #Broward and Palm Beach. Florida voted for Rick Scott!” the president blasted out on Twitter.

Republicans have piled on about alleged ballot-box shenanigans and dirty tricks, layering the aftermath of a contentious election with new drama.

But the whole situation in Florida also feels like a repeat of past political upheaval. That’s thanks to Broward County.

For decades, the county has regularly been a hot zone for election-night chaos in both statewide and national races, including the infamous 2000 presidential election. Years of problems have only slapped additional coats of paint on the county’s sordid reputation as a black hole for ballots. Broward County Elections Supervisor Brenda Snipes, the target of Scott’s legal action, has been accused in recent years of illegally destroying ballots and mismanagement.

As The Washington Post reported Thursday, Florida election officials have until Saturday to tally votes to determine whether both the Senate and gubernatorial races will head to a recount. But Snipes on Thursday fueled the latest Broward controversy — and conspiracy theories — when she failed to explain how long her office’s count would take.

But the criticism also is politically tinged. Broward is Florida’s biggest Democratic stronghold, meaning the county is a convenient punching bag for Florida’s GOP as well as outsider candidates hoping to take on the mainstream Democratic Party. And with the country’s election process again under siege, Broward’s track record is once more of national significance.

Sandwiched between Miami-Dade and Palm Beach counties, rubbing up against the Atlantic Ocean and the Everglades, Broward is 1,323 square miles of interlocking suburbs as well as the city of Fort Lauderdale. According to Snipes’s office, the county is home to approximately 593,000 registered Democrats and 252,000 registered Republicans. The balance makes Broward particularly significant in the tight, high-wire races that have come to define the state.

The grand tour of Broward’s ballot problems starts with the most controversial presidential election of recent memory. After the close finish between George W. Bush and Al Gore, reports emerged of partially punched paper ballots that may have been improperly disqualified — known forevermore as “hanging chads.” The Gore campaign pushed for manual recounts in four Florida counties — Miami-Dade, Palm Beach, Volusia and Broward.

The last time the Republicans stopped a vote count in Florida, we got W as preznitent. This time is just as bad if they succeed.