While the country awaits the outcome of the presidential election recount in Florida, certain celebrities have lent their support to the Emergency Committee of Concerned Citizens 2000 (ECCC).

In a banner, full page New York Times op-ed titled “The Election Crisis” (Nov. 10, page A31), the ECCC prompts the Florida Election Commission to “explore every option, including scheduling and supervising new elections in Palm Beach County, as soon as possible. Nothing less, we believe, can preserve the faith of the people upon which our entire political system rests.”

A partial list of those calling for the new election includes such theatre and entertainment celebrities as Robert DeNiro, E.L. Doctorow, Arthur Miller, Rosie O’Donnell, Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward.

Citing such alleged voting irregularities as the “19,000 Gore votes [that] may have been nullified” and that “thousands of other voters may have been turned away,” the committee seeks to remedy the situation by removing “any hint of inaccuracy in the final result.”

For information on the ECCC write PMB #187, 511 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY, 10011 or visit [email protected]. -- By Murdoch McBride