Final answer:
In the 2000 presidential election, the Supreme Court intervened in the Florida vote count, where Al Gore's campaign requested a manual recount. The Court stopped the recount, ultimately resulting in a victory for George W. Bush.
Step-by-step explanation:
In the 2000 presidential election, the Supreme Court became involved because of a requested recount. Campaign Al Gore wanted a recount done by hand. The tension in Florida's close vote count led to a series of events wherein the Supreme Court eventually intervened.
When some predominantly African American precincts showed issues, Al Gore's campaign called for a recount by hand of the ballots. The situation escalated as Florida's Secretary of State set tight deadlines that were challenged, leading to interventions by the Florida Supreme Court and ultimately, the U.S. Supreme Court.
The U.S. Supreme Court ruled in a divisive 5-4 decision to halt the recounts, stating that the recounts as they were being conducted violated the principle of equal protection. This effectively awarded Florida's electoral votes to George W. Bush, thereby securing his presidency.