hile the Florida recount battle between the George W. Bush and Al Gore campaigns continues, five other states had close votes, forcing county-by-county examinations of the totals and raising the possibility of other recounts.
In New Mexico, Gore retook the lead by 375 votes out of more than 571,000 cast.
Gore regained the lead in New Mexico yesterday after picking up 500 votes in Dona Ana County, where officials had misread an absentee total.
Election workers misread a 620-absentee total for Gore in one precinct, mistaking the figure to be 120. He also got an extra vote from another county.
Meanwhile, State Police were nearly finished with a court-ordered impoundment of ballots across the state. State Republicans wanted impoundments to ensure ballots were protected in case of a recount or challenge.
The closeness of the vote raises the faint specter that an oddity of New Mexico law could come into play: If the election ends up tied, the law could force Bush and Gore to draw straws or even play a hand of poker to settle the race.
According to Reuters, state statutes require that in a dead-even race ''the determination as to which of the candidates shall be declared to have been nominated or elected shall be decided by lot.''
In practice, the method for this rare event has been to play one hand of five-card poker, but the parties can decide on another method.
The last time this happened was in December last year, when Republican Jim Blanq and Democrat Lena Milligan tied at 798 votes each in a local race for magistrate judge. They played one hand of poker in a courthouse with dozens of people watching, and Blanq won.
State officials will finalize the results Nov. 28, and either side will have six days to request a recount.
In Wisconsin, where Gore leads by 6,099 votes out of 2.5 million cast, the Bush campaign has not ruled out a recount.
It cannot request one until all 72 counties turn in certified vote tallies, which are due Friday. The campaign would then have three business days to request a recount.
Milwaukee County officials were investigating a number of reports of questionable voting, including allegations that more than 100 Marquette University students voted twice.
In Iowa, Gore leads by 4,048 votes out of nearly 1.3 million cast.
County officials continued to count absentee votes and ballots that were challenged on Election Day, a process that was set to conclude last night.
Challenged ballots include situations where a voter had moved and was not listed on the new rolls. These ballots were not initially counted, and officials now are adding those that are determined to be legitimate to the total.
Gore's margin was shaved in Oregon yesterday as officials continued counting the state's mail-in ballots.
Gore now leads by 4,756 votes out of nearly 1.4 million cast there. About 18,000 are left to be counted, and officials expect to be finished by week's end.
A recount would be required by state law if the margin falls to less than one-fifth of 1 percent, or about 2,800 votes. Gore's lead is not likely to fall that low, but if a recount is called, it is expected to be held the first week of December.
In New Hampshire, Bush leads by 7,211 out of more than 578,000 votes cast.
Monday was the deadline to ask for a recount, and none was requested.
A review of votes on Monday found proofreading and computer errors, which trimmed Bush's lead by 958 votes.
But this result is expected to be final.
