[supercat]

Since these things are electronically scanned and the arrows are for the benefit of (morons) the user...does it really matter?

Optical mark systems almost always use printed markings on the paper as a positional reference; the arrows almost certainly serve not only as a marker for the user, but for the scanner as well. I would expect that a ballot with a "Kerry" mark would scan for Bush, one for Cobb would scan for Kerry, etc. A ballot marked for Bush would get kicked out as invalid.

Incredible mess.

[Paleo Conservative]

I would expect that a ballot with a "Kerry" mark would scan for Bush,

That's not a bug, it's a feature.

[DixieOklahoma]

so are you saying the democrats wanted to help kerry by taking bush off but may have wound up helping bush? because more people would vote for kerry than the third guy.

[jackbill]

Optical mark systems almost always use printed markings on the paper as a positional reference; the arrows almost certainly serve not only as a marker for the user, but for the scanner as well.

I believe that you are incorrect. The scanner looks for marks at positions relative to the edges of the ballot. Since there is no "arrow" where there should be, Bush could get no votes