Campaigns and states prepare for post-election battles

As candidates count down the hours to election day, many campaigns are bracing for the possibility that it may take weeks before the final results are known. And that’s before the lawyers have their say.

In several states that host what may prove to be decisive contests for the House and Senate, elections officials say a definitive vote count may not be known until well after Nov. 2.

In Washington, for instance, all but 2% of ballots are expected to be cast by mail. With polls showing Sen. Patty Murray locked in a tight race with Republican Dino Rossi, it may be those votes arriving after election day that tip the balance.

“We do have a sense for the dramatic here in Washington,” said Secretary of State Sam Reed.

His office is also preparing for the possibility of a recount, which would automatically occur if the two leading candidates are separated by a margin within 0.5%. Recount laws vary by state, and in several, losing candidates have to pick up the tab if they seek one.

In Alaska, simply tallying the votes presents an additional challenge because of the write-in candidacy of Sen. Lisa Murkowski. Write-in ballots won’t be counted until mid-November, if officials decide it is necessary to do so.

For Rossi, a recount may provide a sense of déjà vu. As a candidate for Washington governor in 2004,he was ahead of Democrat Chris Gregoire in the initial election tally. Two recounts later, he was determined to have lost by fewer than 200 votes.

Because of lessons from that and other recent elections, the modern campaign blueprint isn’t limited to polling, persuasion and voter turnout. An effective post-election strategy is now considered just as important.

It’s a reality that the National Republican Senatorial Committee laid out starkly to its supporters in a fundraising appeal this week.

“The fight could last beyond Nov. 2, and we have to be prepared,” the committee said. “We saw it happen in 2008 in Minnesota, and we cannot let the Democrats try to steal any of these seats.”

The solicitation was referring to a protracted recount in the Senate election ultimately won by Democrat Al Franken over incumbent Norm Coleman.

The GOP committee also is seeking people for what it calls a “volunteer attorney network” program to help “guarantee accurate recording and counting of votes cast, as well as consistent and fair enforcement of election laws and regulations.”

“Republicans feel that they were not as prepared as the Democrats were in 2008,” an official close to the party’s Senate campaign effort said. “The first 72 hours are the most important. It sets the tone not just on a legal side but on a communications side as well.”

Democrats say they are prepared for all scenarios, but are paying close attention to what happens both on and before election day.

“We’re going to have a robust voter protection program in place in all of our key races, to make sure that everyone who’s entitled to cast a ballot is able to do so,” said Eric Schultz, communication director for the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee.

Preelection allegations of voting irregularities, on the rise along with the increased use of early voting across the country, have also been a factor.

Prompted by an early spate of complaints, officials said that while irregularities can occur, there has been a troubling increase in the frequency of claims.

“The secretary of state takes claims of election law violations very, very seriously,” said Pam duPre, a spokeswoman for the Nevada secretary of state. “Allowing rumors and unfounded allegations to swirl around and spread tends to undermine the public’s confidence in the electoral process.”

michael.memoli@latimes.com