Shakespeare Was Right

Lawyers across America, from both parties, are sharpening their fangs in anticipation of the upcoming election.

"Bush v. Gore really let the genie out of the bottle," said Richard L. Hasen, an election law professor at Loyola Law School in Los Angeles. "Election law has become just another part of the political strategy of the parties."

After nearly stealing the election in the courtroom in 2000, the Democrats order of battle comprises 10,000 lawyers, 2000 in Florida alone.

And the Republicans will not be caught off guard this year.

"I have no doubt that we will have more than enough," he said. "If we go into a recount situation, we are far better prepared to respond than before."

The Republicans have hundreds of lawyers in Florida specifically to counter Democratic effort to get out the felon vote. Felons are not permitted to vote, but this group is one of the Democrats' most reliable demographics.

Meanwhile, Democrats snear at the whole concept of, "ballot integrity."

"We're going to protect our vote, and by doing that, we think we'll win," said Bob Bauer, the Democratic Party's national counsel for voter protection. Lawsuits filed by the party and Democratic interest groups in Florida and Ohio, another critical state, seek to prevent local election officials from rejecting thousands of incomplete registrations. The lawsuits contend that in both states, Republican election chiefs are requiring that forms contain information that is irrelevant to determining a voter's eligibility.