Data Files

In accord with our mission to conduct research in the public interest, NORC has placed all of the data related to the Florida Ballots Project on this web-site. This data is free and available to all parties interested in replicating our results or conducting other analyses with the data. To replicate our results, analysts must download a number of files listed at the bottom of this text. Most importantly, we ask that analysts first download and read both readme files (the NORC readme and the Media Group readme). The data files available are not only complicated in and of themselves, they are related to each other in a complex way. It is only by understanding the information in the readme files that an analyst will be able to conduct meaningful analyses with this data.

There are six NORC-produced data files associated with this project. Two are primary data files (the raw data file and the aligned data file) and four are ancillary data files (the demographic data file, the recode data file, the comments data file and the Orange County data file).

The raw data file is a ballot-level data file that contains information on every chad or candidate space on every ballot across the 67 counties. This file does not attempt to align candidate information across ballots; it simply reflects the reality of the disparate ballot designs used throughout the state of Florida. The aligned data file reconciles every coder's information for every ballot for each presidential and U.S. Senate candidate. This file contains the first processing step necessary to facilitate comparison of the codings for each candidate regardless of his or her various ballot positions across the state. Thus, the raw database is the definitive historical archive of every mark on the uncertified ballots. The aligned file is an analyst's tool, presenting only the markings related to the various candidate positions on each county's ballot. The ancillary data files provide contextual and supplemental information for the ballot-level files. More detail about each of the six NORC-produced data files appears as it is selected for download.

There are also Media Group files. All are supplemental to the NORC raw and aligned data files, but critical to the replication of our results. More detail about each of the Media Group files appears as it is selected for download.

To facilitate the use of these data, NORC is making the data available in three formats: SAS, SPSS and ASCII (bar-delimited). Analysts familiar with SAS, SPSS or any other statistical software system may download these files. Frequencies are available for comparison purposes (e.g., to ensure that the data are being read in correctly).

Those not familiar with statistical software packages may use the Florida Ballot Tabulator, created by Elliot Jaspin of Cox New Service. This vote tabulator is a programmed interface that allows users to examine various ballot counts that would result from the various recount strategies considered by election officials, presidential candidates, and the various courts involved in the 36 day struggle to determine the winner of the Florida presidential election. Documentation for this vote tabulator appears in the Media Group readme and in a help file within the tabulator.

NORC Data Files

• NORC Readme File
• Raw Data
• Aligned Data
• Demographic Data
• Re-code Data
• Comments Data
• Orange Data
• NORC Data Layouts (WinZip)

Media Group Supplemental Data

• Media Group Readme File (Plain Text)
• Media Group Readme (Word)
• Certified Florida Voting Result (WinZip)
• Media Group Data (WinZip)

Florida Ballot Tabulator (WinZip)

• Florida Ballot Tabulator Readme (Plain Text)

Return to Florida Ballots Project home page