Allegations of voter intimidation and problems with electronic voting machines hampered the crucial US midterm elections today as Americans went to the polls in the battle for control of Congress.

Programming errors and inexperience dealing with electronic voting machines frustrated poll workers in hundreds of precincts in today’s US elections, delaying voters in several states and forcing some to use paper ballots instead.

A Pennsylvania woman has been ordered to wear a badge reading "Convicted Shoplifter" every time she goes shopping over the next year.