The 3rd District

includes Fayette County.

Voters also

are stating, by a margin of 90 to two, that they believe it is wrong to

change ballot counting rules now that the election is finished, he said.

"We haven't seen this much constituent interest in an issue in some

time," Collins said. "Those who have contacted me said they

are concerned that post-election politics is hijacking the vote counting

process."

By 10:30 a.m.

Tuesday, Collins' office received more than 90 calls, letters or e-mails

about the Florida recount of the presidential election between Vice President

Al Gore and Texas Gov. George W. Bush. The furor over the recount erupted

after Democrats rejected a machine recount of the Florida election. The

recount confirmed a slim Bush victory.

Democrats demanded

a hand count of ballots in several Democrat majority counties because

many ballots were rejected for being improperly punched or filled out.

Most of the constituents who have contacted Collins said that if people

make mistakes on voting, their ballots should be invalidated. Most also

expressed concern that the hand count introduces bias and the potential

for fraud into what was formerly an impartial and fair mechanical process,

he said.

"I can

accept Mr. Bush's defeat if it was a real defeat. I cannot accept a defeat

that was taken under false pretenses," one constituent wrote in an

e-mail. Collins said another constituent called and said, "The Democrats

are now stating that the blanks left on the ballots were not intended

to be blank. I have left blanks when I didn't understand something or

know about an amendment."

"Ninety-six

percent of the people in West Palm Beach voted correctly and had no problem

with the ballot," said another constituent. "Why are we allowing

the 4 percent of those who couldn't do it right to overturn George Bush's

victory?"

"These

calls, letters and e-mail have come from teachers, professionals, workers

and housewives," Collins said. "Many have called for reform

to prevent such a mess reoccurring, yet they have also noted Florida's

election was fair.

My constituents

are concerned that while the machine-based vote counting system was impartial,

the hand count allows bias to creep into the counting process," Collins

added. "They want the two campaigns to respect the original recount,

and let the electoral process continue.

"I urge

both campaigns to heed the people of Georgia's 3rd congressional District

and stop the legal maneuvers," Collins said.