swinging chad
Noun: A swinging chad is a specific type of partially detached paper fragment, or "chad," created when a hole is punched in a paper card, such as a ballot or data card. It is defined as being incompletely removed and remaining attached at two corners, allowing it to swing or hang from those points.
This term is most famously used in the context of voting, specifically regarding punch-card ballots. A swinging chad is one of several types of partially punched chads that can cause ambiguity in determining a voter's intent. - The election officials had to carefully examine each ballot for hanging or swinging chads. - A swinging chad is attached at two corners, unlike a "hanging chad" which is attached by only one.
The term gained widespread public recognition during the 2000 United States presidential election recount in Florida, where the interpretation of ballots with partially detached chads became a central legal and political issue. It is a technical term within the fields of election administration and political science when discussing ballot design and vote counting procedures. - The debate over whether a swinging chad constituted a valid vote prolonged the election certification.
- Chad (n): The small piece of paper removed when a hole is punched.
- Hanging chad (n): A chad attached by only a single corner.
- Pregnant chad (n): A chad that is bulging but not detached, still attached at all four corners.
- Tri-chad (n): A chad attached at three corners.
- Partially detached chad
- Two-corner chad
This is a highly specific compound noun. The word "chad" itself is the core term, with "swinging" describing its precise physical state. It is almost exclusively used in the context of punch-card systems.
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a chad that is incompletely removed and still attached at two corners
