Debugging the ballot: counting votes should be easy. But counting millions is another matter. And when the system breaks down, the failures can be spectacular. (National).

Eager to vote, she had arrived early. But before she could enter the voting booth, she had to wait about 15 minutes for election workers to boot up the computerized voting machines. Then, once in the booth, the screen on her machine didn't light up. More waiting. Other voters gave up. But this one was surrounded by reporters and photographers--recording how Janet Reno, the former U.S. Attorney General, had to wait an hour and 20 minutes to vote for herself in the Democratic primary for Governor of Florida.

Thousands of teens will be eligible to vote for the first time in the midterm election on Nov. 5. Most current high school juniors and seniors will get their first chance in the presidential election in two years. Almost all will face using some kind of voting machine. The devices range from high-tech electronic vote counters that record choices on magnetic disks, to punch-card ballots, in which a stylus is used to punch a hole next to a candidate's name (see chart, page 15).

While the mechanics of voting usually work efficiently, there continue to be times when voters are unable to cast their ballots, their votes go uncounted, or their votes end up being credited to candidates they oppose.

THE LEGACY OF BUSH AND GORE

Florida has been the poster child of electoral meltdowns since the 2000 presidential race between Republican George Bush (now President) and Democrat Al Gore (Vice President at the time). More than 5.8 million votes were cast in the state, but Bush's lead was less than 1,800 votes. Yet thousands of ballots went uncounted, due to widespread voter confusion.

In some counties using punch-card ballots, votes went unregistered because the holes next to the candidates' names weren't entirely punched through, and thus weren't registered by ballot counting machines. With Bush holding a tiny lead, Gore sued for a recount in some counties. The case made its way to the U.S. Supreme Court, which blocked the recount. Bush was declared the winner.

The chaos led to a slew of jokes about "FloriDUH" and even a mocking offer from Cuban dictator Fidel Castro to send in election monitors. After that embarrassment, Florida Governor Jeb Bush (the President's brother) vowed that the state would do better. The state spent $32 million on a host of reforms, including new voting machines.

CHAOS TRIUMPHS AGAIN

But Florida's Sept. 11 primary election, in which a political party chooses its nominees for office, was an echo of the botched 2000 process. Thousands of voters were turned away by polling places that had malfunctioning machines, lacked staff, gave out the wrong ballots, or simply ran out altogether.

Most of the problems cropped up in heavily Democratic areas, prompting suspicions of political shenanigans. Governor Bush, a Republican, blamed local officials, and when asked about Reno's troubles at her precinct, at first made light of the problem: "What is it with Democrats having a hard time voting? I don't know." But as the extent of the problems became clearer, Bush asked the U.S. Justice Department for help with the state's Nov. 5 balloting.

New voters this month or in the 2004 presidential race may not face a Florida-style breakdown. But there are steps anyone can take to make the process go more smoothly:

* Register to vote. In some states, voters can register when they get their driver's licenses. Forms are also available in many city or county offices.

* Examine a sample ballot and voting instructions before going to the polls. These are often published by nonpartisan groups like the League of Women Voters or local newspapers.

* When facing the machine for the first time, read the directions. Voters can make mistakes by assuming they know what to do, when they don't.

For those who do run into trouble on Election Day the experience can be upsetting. Said Reno of her bad day at the voting booth: "The sobering experience of being told you couldn't vote on Election Day has stuck with me."

DEMOCRACY MACHINERY: HOW WE VOTE

PAPER BALLOTS

IN USE SINCE: Late 1700s

USED BY: 1.6% of registered voters in 410 out of 3,140 counties across the country

HOW IT WORKS: Using pencil or pen, voter marks box next to candidate's name and drops choice in ballot box. Counted by hand.

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

LEVER MACHINES

IN USE SINCE: 1890s

USED BY: 18.6% of registered voters in 480 out of 3,140 counties

HOW IT WORKS: In a voting booth, voter turns knobs that mark boxes next to candidates, then pulls a large lever to record all the votes in the machine.

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

PUNCH CARDS

IN USE SINCE: 1964

USED BY: 31% of registered voters in 578 out of 3,140 counties

HOW IT WORKS: Pollworkers give voter a card with perforated holes, which is placed in a holder. Voter uses a stylus to punch out holes next to names of desired candidates. Machine-counted.

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

OPTICAL SCAN BALLOTS

IN USE SINCE: 1980s

USED BY: 27.3% of registered voters In 1,217 out of 3,140 counties

HOW IT WORKS: Voter uses a pen or pencil to fill in spaces on a paper ballot. Ballots are then "read" and counted by a computer scanner.

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

ELECTRONIC

IN USE SINCE: 1990s

USED BY: 9.1% of registered voters in 257 out of 3,140 counties

HOW IT WORKS: Voter uses electronic buttons or touches the computer screen next to desired candidates to record choices. Votes are stored in the computer, which later counts them.

Source: ELECTION DATA SERVICES; "USED BY" PERCENTAGES ARE FOR 1998 REGISTERED VOTERS