The "butterfly ballot" fiasco was engineered by the Democrats in an organized effort that was planned BEFORE the election took place, and activated when it looked like Gore had lost by a whisker.

They called people up, and TOLD them to complain to election officials. People who probably wouldn't have given their ballots a second thought otherwise.

We have had butterfly ballots here for years, and no one has complained that I've heard of.

A Palm Beach ballot. Approved by a Democratic official. Anybody REALLY have trouble figuring out where the arrow points? Feel free to copy this and test it on friends or your local third-grader.

The instructions. Anyone have any trouble with these, especially the HUGE BOLD FACE PART AT THE BOTTOM?

Here's a more idiot-proof version of the ballot designed by Star Trek Scenic Art Supervisor/Technical Consultant Michael Okuda.

I guess your ideal approach would be deliberately to make voting intellectually difficult. As a sort of test.

It shouldn't be made as easy as possible. Some form of effort, if only in the form of time if not intellect, is not unreasonable. I'm particularly cheesed about all those people who complain they can't properly register, or forgot to register until too late, or some other lame-assed excuse. You can get registration forms online, at any post office, and during an election season around here you can't walk down the street without a Democrat handing you a registration form.

If they can't make even that much effort to register, screw 'em.