TALLAHASSEE, Florida (CNN) -- The battle for Florida's key 25 votes in the Electoral College raged, in courtrooms all over the state today, as a handful of state judges considered arguments from legal teams for Democrat Al Gore and Republican George W. Bush.

In the most pivotal of the day's rulings thus far, a Florida judge this afternoon denied a motion to block a 5 p.m. EST deadline for reporting election results to the Florida Secretary of State Katherine Harris, leaving lawyers for both Bush and Gore ready for last-minute legal actions in the state's disputed election.

Harris subsequently said she anticipates election results being filed by all 67 counties by 5 p.m. EST today. And Paul Beach County Circuit Judge Jorge Labarge ruled the county's canvassing board can certify election results.

The deadline rulng from Leon County, Florida, Circuit Judge Terry Lewis appears to throw a wrench in the plans of Palm Beach County, Florida, to count ballots by hand, a process that would take several days -- well past today's deadline. But it does not mean that county canvassing boards cannot submit tallies after the deadline.