LETTERS: BALLOT WASN'T THAT CONFUSING BUT IT'S ILLEGAL

To the editor:

Democratic U.S. Rep. Robert Wexler made an appearance on CNN's "Crossfire" and read a portion of the Florida election law which I think will prove to be pivotal. The portion explicitly requires that the punch areas on the ballot associated with a candidate be situated to the right of the candidate's name.

Many people claim to have been misled by the loopiness of the layout in Palm Beach County and fear their votes may have been inadvertently case for Pat Buchanan rather than their real choice. If one of the two viable candidates were swamping the other, I would say to hell with it and declare the winner. But this is a case where the Palm Beach County fiasco could account for the current margin, small as it is.

I would acknowledge that the Palm Beach County layout would not have fooled me, but only if someone in authority will acknowledge that the layout did not conform with the law. Or are our rightist brethern getting soft on crime?

DONN S. MILLER

Tamms, Ill.