Technical hitches threaten US election mayhem

The US is braced for more polling day mayhem this week as technical glitches threaten to turn the crucial mid-term vote into a repeat of the 2000 presidential election fiasco.

Experts fear untested electronic ballot equipment in many states where rival candidates are neck and neck may not be equipped to deal with the influx of voters on Tuesday.

Dead senators still on ballot papers, allegations of forged postal vote applications and hundreds of lawyers in key states poised to launch legal challenges for disputed results, have all exasperated the problem facing election organisers.

“There is a potential for chaos,” said Doug Chapin, director of Electionline, an independent group that monitors US votes.

“We can’t predict where it’ll be, but there is definitely potential.”

A third of congressional seats and 35 state governorships will be decided on Tuesday, in the first major US election since George W Bush defeated Al Gore.

With the Republicans controlling the House of Representatives by six seats, and the Democrats controlling the Senate by just one, the election could change the current political balance in Washington.

If the Democrats recapture the House of Representatives they would be able to block much of the Bush administration’s legislation for the next two years.

But if the Republicans gain just one seat to take the Senate they will have a free reign to push through all White House bills.

The high stakes involved make it crucial to avoid a rerun of the debacle in 2000, but few changes have been made to improve the system.

A recently passed election-reform bill to make the process run more smoothly will not take effect until next year.

Punch cards, levers, optical scans and electronic machines are all randomly used in polling stations as the US has no single voting system.

“States are going to work very hard to avoid the types of issues that people experienced two years ago, but I think it’s fair to say that there are going to be some problems,” said Dan Gwadosky, president of the National Association of Secretaries of State.

Even in Florida, the scene of the presidential election confusion, commentators warn there could be a new polling disaster in the close contest between Mr Bush’s brother, Jeb, and his Democratic challenger, Bill McBride, for the post of governor.

During the Sunshine State’s Democratic primary two month’s ago new voting machines malfunctioned, poll workers failed to show up, and many that did were badly trained meaning votes went uncounted.

Mary Berry, chairwoman of the US Commission on Civil Rights, which is monitoring the Florida vote, said: “Unless they have done something to train poll workers better since September, what they’re likely to have on their hands is another mess.”

Meanwhile, in Georgia new ATM-style voting machines are being tested for the first time in a tight Senate race between incumbent Democrat Max Cleland and Republican challenger Saxby Chambliss.

In South Dakota, officials are already investigating allegedly forged postal ballot applications in the state’s extremely close Senate contest.

The sudden death of Minnesota Senator Paul Wellstone in a plane crash last week has set up a possible post election legal battle if the question of postal ballots, which were sent out before he died, become an issue.

It could lead to a court clash between last minute replacement and former Vice President Walter Mondale, and Republican candidate and close friend of Mr Bush, Norm Coleman, over whether the votes should count for the Democrats.

A dead congresswoman could be re-elected in Hawaii, a result that would lead to a special election. Democrat Patsy Mink died before her name could be taken off the ballot.

Marc Elias, counsel to the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee said they have placed lawyers in every county in every state where there is a competitive Senate race.

Not to be outdone, Republicans are monitoring South Dakota, Arkansas and Missouri, where they see potential problems that could spark legal challenges.

Alex Vogel, general counsel to the National Republican Senatorial Committee said post-election disputes are “more likely” this year because Senate contests are so tight.

Disputes over “pregnant” or “hanging” from punch card ballots in the 2000 presidential election delayed the result of the vote for 36 days.

Mr Bush was eventually declared the winner over Mr Gore by 537 votes.