How come the media called Florida before the polls there closed? Wasn't that illegal? Also, who do you think this cost more votes from: Gore or Bush?
The rule had been that if they had 75% of the precients closed, then they could project a state. They had this and called it for Gore. I do not think that this helped or hurt either candidate significantly because the other 25% were very big for Bush. So, it did not make much difference with the voting.
I heard some voters left the polls after Florida was called for Gore, though? I know there were only 11 minutes left, but I think that Bush probably lost several thousand votes since many voters figured there would be no point in voting for him if he already lost.
To counter that, you could just ask why would Gore voters stay if he'd already won.
Because they would feel proud that their man won and thus be willing to wait another 1-11 minutes to proudly cast their vote for him with a feeling of strength, pride, and conviction.
Couple of things about this. Both sets of voters would be dissuaded from voting, but there would be far more Bush voters because the Panhandle is very Republican. On the other hand, I don't think that it is common practice to have tvs at polling stations, and this was before smart phones (half the country probably didn't have cell phones at all back then; I didn't). It's doubtful many folks at the polls realized the state had been called.
Also, FOX incorrectly called the 2008 Dem primary in MO for Hillary Clinton.