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Elite Lawyers Hired for Potential Election Disputes

By Deanne Katz, Esq. on November 01, 2012 | Last updated on March 21, 2019

Election years are always tense but this presidential race is so tight that some are already planning for election disputes to break out.

The memory of the 2000 election has influenced both candidates to recruit lawyers who can help navigate any legal issues that come up during voting. Each campaign has tapped an expert in legal election issues to assist with potential voting problems, reports Reuters.

While the candidates may be jumping the gun by presuming that something will go wrong in the election, it is true that a lot that could happen.

Despite what some believe, every vote does count and it has to be counted by a person. Even if votes are tallied by machine, in case of disputes someone has to verify the results.

Paper ballots still exist but in many locations voting takes place by electronic ballot. That means there's a risk of programming errors that could affect the election.

Issues with faulty voting machines are fairly uncommon in the last few elections and don't normally affect national competitions because of strict security. Still, it's an issue both candidates will likely watch out for if the vote appears skewed.

A bigger issue this year is the new voter ID laws that have been proposed in many states.

Tighter restrictions on voting have been proposed in many states but it's only been put in place in a few of them for this election. If the new requirements confuse or discourage voters there may be some legal backlash by the candidate who feels most affected by the new laws.

In case of a dispute, candidates can demand a recount. That can take several days depending on the area that is recounted. If more investigation is needed, they may look to their newly appointed legal counsel to advise them.

Whatever your politics, this presidential election is a close race, especially if you live in a tightly contested state. Make your voice heard and cast your ballot on November 6.

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