UPDATE:Early voting problems in at least 2 Indiana counties

Officials from two Indiana counties said early problems with electronic voting machines had been fixed Tuesday as residents cast ballots to decide three of the nation's most closely watched congressional races and determine what party controls the Indiana House.\nIndiana's voter ID law received its first test in a general election, but that was not what was causing the problems, clerks in two counties said.\nIn Delaware County, an apparent computer error prevented voters from casting ballots in 75 precincts, County Clerk Karen Wenger said. A court order extended voting to 8:40 p.m. local time, 2 hours and 40 minutes past the scheduled 6 p.m. close.\nBlue start cards that activate the push-button machines for voters were programmed incorrectly by MicroVote General Corp., the company that installed software in 47 Indiana counties, Wenger said. By 11 a.m. the problems in all 75 precincts, affecting 225 machines in the east-central Indiana county, had been fixed, the clerk's office said.\n"We haven't done anything wrong here. The poll workers haven't done anything wrong," she said.\nIn Marion County, Indiana's largest, electronic optical-scan machines that read paper ballots were not working correctly in more than 100 precincts. Poll workers must use a computer port device to connect optical-scan machines to new touch-screen models, which handicapped voters use, said Marion County Clerk Doris Anne Sadler.\nSome workers, many of whom are in their 70s, had trouble connecting the machines, so they did not work, she said. Technicians had turned on the machines, and all problems had been fixed by late morning, officials said.\nThe new electronic technology was put in place in Indiana and across the country after problems with ballots in the 2000 presidential election, Sadler said.\n"Everything since the election of 2000 has complicated things for poll workers," she said.\nVoters were able to cast ballots without any noticeable disruption, a news release from the Secretary of State's office said.\nStatewide, a higher turnout was expected than in the last midterm election in 2002, when 38 percent of registered voters cast ballots in Indiana. About 30,000 people manned the state's 5,500 precincts. Jen Fanger, spokeswoman for Indiana Secretary of State Todd Rokita, said as of noon, the office had not received reports of turnout from the counties.\nShe also said that of 350 calls the office had received, none had been about problems with voter ID.\nTo make sure, Democratic U.S. Rep. Julia Carson, who is running for her sixth term in the 7th District, brought three forms of ID to her Indianapolis polling place.\nIn the May primary, the first time ID was required, Carson was delayed when the congressional ID card she presented to confirm her identity didn't have the expiration date required under the new law.\nIn Evansville, where voters are choosing an 8th District congressman, lines of people had reached into the hallways of Plaza Park Plaza Middle School shortly after voting started.\nGOP Rep. John Hostettler is running against Vanderburgh County Sheriff Brad Ellsworth.\nEllsworth brought his family along as he voted.\n"It's been a long one," Ellsworth said about the race. "We've put thousands of miles on the car and talked to thousands of people."\nHis goal if he won: "I want to put some trust back in Washington."\nHostettler, who voted later, said he was optimistic with his chances.\n"The national trend seems to be going our way," he said.\nIn St. Joseph County, in the 2nd District, more than 8,500 people voted absentee. That is close to 3,000 more than poll workers saw in 2002, the last midterm election, county officials said.\nThat district has seen a tight race between GOP Rep. Chris Chocola and his opponent for a second time, Democrat Joe Donnelly.\nSome voters leaving Charles Martin Youth Center just west of South Bend said they voted for Donnelly because they don't believe Chocola had done a good job the past four years.\n"I don't think Chris Chocola has done a darned thing for the people of Indiana," said voter Rebecca Kaiser. "He's voted the way Republicans want him to."\nDemocrats hope to knock off three of Indiana's Republican congressmen in their quest to gain at least 15 seats nationwide and regain control of the U.S. House.\nThe national parties and outside groups have spent millions in the 2nd and 8th districts and the 9th, a tight race between Republican Rep. Mike Sodrel and former Rep. Baron Hill in their third consecutive matchup.\nVera Chester, 47, voting at Evansville's Plaza Park Middle School, called the election "incredibly important" to America.\n"There are burning issues -- the war, the economy, things that are not being addressed. I don't like the direction we're going," she said.\nMike Lantry, 49, a Republican, was voting at the Peace Free Will Baptist Church on Indianapolis' south side.\nHe said Indiana influence on control of the U.S. House was important to him, although he was voting in the 5th District, held by GOP Rep. Dan Burton and considered safe.\n"It makes you feel like you should be involved in a race this close you can really make a difference," he said.\nBoth state parties have said control of the Indiana House is their top priority this election. Democrats narrowly controlled the chamber for eight years before Republicans gained a 52-48 majority two years ago.\nFour statewide contests are also on the ballot. Republican Sen. Dick Lugar was expected to cruise to a sixth term, as Democrats did not field a contender. Other statewide contests were for secretary of state, treasurer and auditor.