Glitches? What Glitches?

By: Greg Kandra
Topics: Field Notes

Despite scattered reports of problems around the country, Investigative Producer Laura Strickler reports it's been a relatively smooth election day. -- Ed.

(Getty Images/Karen Bleier)

The top election official in the country – Paul DeGregorio tells CBS Evening News that "aside from a few glitches, things have gone well". DeGregorio runs the federal Election Assistance Commissionthat was created in the wake of the 2000 voting debacle. But he cautions that "this is a crucial time as polls are closing and workers have to transmit final results."

DeGregorio spent the day visiting polling stations in Ohio, Kentucky and Indiana. He arrived at a polling center in Louisville, Kentucky shortly after a poll worker was arrested for assaulting a voter. He claims that was the only real surprise of the day.

But he also cautioned that tight races may be undecided for days or weeks since 17 states will not begin counting their absentee ballots until tomorrow. That's also the case for provisional ballots nationwide which in many states also won't be counted until Wednesday.

Overall, DeGregorio is confident in his earlier prediction that human error --not computer malfunction -- caused the most glitches.