hi 
thanks for looking in 
as deadlines loom for electors to be selected in florida, the attention of the nation is focused on washington and the decision still pending from the nine justices of the u.s. supreme court 
as usual, there's no indication when the high court will issue its ruling, but with the presidency at stake and time running out, many expect a quick decision 
with more on the supreme court and other election developments, here's jonathan aiken 
still no decision from the u.s. supreme court in the case of bush vs. gore 
lawyers for governor george w. bush want the court to strike down a florida supreme court decision that allowed manual recounts of disputed ballots across the state 
vice president al gore needs those recounts if he is to overcome mr 
bush's lead in florida 
if the court decides to stop the recounts, the vice president is effectively out of options and may have to concede the election 
it's better for the supreme court to intervene, perhaps, and decide the case, than for having this going into congress, where i think this is all child's play compared to what would happen if congress had to vote and elect the next president 
meanwhile, the republican controlled florida house of representatives is likely to vote tuesday on a resolution approving its own slate of electors to the electoral college, one that will be pledged to governor bush 
as the debate continued in tallahassee, state lawmakers were waiting for the supreme court in washington 
hopefully, though, they're going to give us a path to finality 
if they do, then i think all of us will be very, very glad 
let's count every vote. that's the kind of finality we need in the state of florida 
but unfortunately, i don't have great hope for that as far as the legislative path 
florida's state senate may take up the issue wednesday 
also in tallahassee, the florida supreme court has yet to rule on appeals of two cases involving absentee ballots 
the state justices are being asked to overturn lower court rulings that allow up to 25,000 absentee ballots be included in the state count, those ballots from seminole and martin counties 
democrats say republican officials had access to ballot applications and illegally completed missing voter information on them 
tuesday is also the day states certify their election results, and the slates of electors who will meet and cost ballots when the electoral college meets on the electors can be certified after tuesday, but they'll be open to challenge by the congress if the election is still in dispute 
normally, the candidate who wins the popular vote in a state wins the vote of the electors, though some states let electors vote their conscience 
the next date certain in this contest, saturday, january that's when congress meets to validate the decision of the electoral college, or challenge the results and begin a procedure whereby the lawmakers themselves could choose the next president of the united states 
jonathan aiken for cnn, washington 
as the electoral count currently stands, gore has 267, bush, 246 
270 are needed to win the white house 
that means the candidate who wins florida's 25 electoral votes will gain enough to become president 
now a quick recap of the florida election developments 
a decision could come at any time from the u.s. supreme court on those disputed florida ballots 
it's december the day federal law says states must pick presidential electors 
any electors selected after today are subject to congressional challenge 
the florida house is poised to name electors loyal to bush 
the senate could follow suit tomorrow 
stay glued to headline news for continuing coverage of the florida recount and election