Voting Could Get Ugly, Warn Watchdogs

With record-shattering turnout anticipated, voter-rights groups predict contentious voting in battleground states, where Republicans are accused of disenfranchising new voters—who are overwhelmingly Democrat. In Florida, a “no match, no vote” standard denies ballots to people whose registration info clashes with government records, an obstacle not unique to that state, the Los Angeles Times reports.

Some groups are working to contact vulnerable voters to ensure “typos and clerical errors” don’t violate their right to cast a ballot, and unlike previous elections, a provisional ballot is available to turned-away voters who can confirm their information within 48 hours. But other problems remain logistical. North Carolina voters may not realize the straight-party voting option excludes the presidency, while insufficient polling stations threaten Virginians with long lines.
(More Election 2008 stories.)