The events had a familiar ring: a dispute over ballots, an eleventh-hour Supreme Court ruling and a top executive post hanging in the balance.

The controversy over provisional ballots, one of the few reforms to come out of the 2000 election, showed that the rules governing them need improvement.

Murkowski defeated Miller, who conceded after two months of court battles over contested ballots.

But Jesse Walters, a Republican, did offer that he was getting tired of all the wrangling over ballots.

The recount erupted in acrimony this morning over - what else - dimpled ballots.

Among its demands is suffrage for all men over 21, secret ballots and annual elections.

Everyone involved in the dispute says the goal is to limit and speed any fights over questionable ballots.

Presumably, the dispute over such ballots could form the basis for a contest.

They said the changes would eliminate many of the likely disputes over questionable ballots.

Confusion over ballots in Minnesota resulted in 15,000 voided votes and may have thrown that state to the Republicans.