Let the recounts begin

Sources of friction
Elections in the United States are carried out by some 10,500 local jurisdictions operating under a myriad of local, state, and federal rules. The 2000 presidential recount in Florida laid bare a host of problems with the way elections were being run and led to the Help America Vote Act. The money it provided helped election officials upgrade their voting systems and create statewide voter-registration databases. As a result, Martinez predicts that voting will go relatively smoothly this year. "I have a great deal of confidence in our state and local election administrators," he said.

Whatever troubles do arise, most will probably come from one of the four chief sources of friction for election officials: voter identification, voter rolls, ballot counting, and new machines. Already party lawyers are skirmishing -- for example, over what signs will be allowed outside the polling places where the name of former Rep. Mark Foley, R-Fla., will be on the ballot. A vote for him will be counted as having been cast for the replacement Republican candidate.

MORE FROM NATIONAL JOURNAL

National Journal Section Front

Walter: GOP can break negative cycle Mercurio: Gunning for a new RNC Cook: How will Democrats govern? Brownstein: The GOP's dangerous imbalance Blumenthal: Pollsters pretty accurate National Journal Section Front