While the presidential election still hangs in the balance, Americans are taking sides, often along party lines.

Locally, the chairmen of both political parties gave their insights on what's occurring in Florida and in the country today.

On the overall situation, Frances Head, Kosciusko County Democrat Party chairwoman, said, "I don't think the mistakes should have been made to begin with. ... How the outcome is going to be, I don't know."

Mike Miner, Kosciusko County Republican Party chairman, attorney and one of Indiana's 12 electors, said that with George W. Bush ahead of Al Gore by approximately 327 votes, "my guess is that Bush is now going to win the vote." As to whether or not the courts will step in, he said, "I doubt it."

Several lawsuits pending in Florida are contesting the results of the election because they claim the design of the ballot was confusing and many people who voted for Pat Buchanan actually meant to vote for Al Gore.

Head said as far as the lawsuits go, "I don't know, I really don't know." She said if the recount is conducted properly, she doesn't know why there would be a lawsuit. "I think that if the recount is done legally, I think it should be dropped."

The Florida ballot, Miner said, is similar to ours, and voters had the opportunity to object to the ballot before the election. If the opportunity wasn't there beforehand to object to the ballot, he said, he could see an argument, but that wasn't the case. "Afterwards, it's kind of like, you had an opportunity to vote" and now it's too late, he said.

Overseas votes, which will be counted until Nov. 17 but had to be postmarked by Nov. 7, may make a difference, Head said. "This has been a close election all the way."

The overseas votes, made up mostly of military personnel, Miner said, most likely will favor Bush.

"From what I understand from the news media, they will likely favor Bush anyway," he said. He said in the last presidential election, even though Republican Bob Dole lost Florida, he received the majority of the overseas votes.

Was the ballot confusing, despite the arrows pointing to the correct holes for the appropriate candidates' names and despite the fact the ballot was published before the election?

"Again, in Indiana," said Miner, "I don't think they have much of a case." He said since the ballot was approved before the election, the judges in Indiana would not allow the election to be thrown out. However, he said, he doesn't "know how Florida is."

"That (ballot) would be confusing," said Head. "You vote only every four years and you forget. Names on both sides would be confusing." She said they ought to make it simpler for the next election.

"To me," Miner said, "the ballot I saw wasn't confusing."

Whether Bush or Gore wins, it may be uncertain how the country as a whole will handle the outcome.

Head said she thinks it won't divide the country.

"We're one country under one flag. ... I don't think it will divide the country." Head said she knows many Democrats and Republicans and they get along well with each other.

"North and South was years ago. I don't think we'll have another Civil War," she said.

Miner said, "I think the country is pretty well divided (now)." He said some people already are bitter. Some may be ready to start a Civil War while others will just shrug their shoulders and go on.

In the Richard Nixon-John Kennedy presidential race of 1960, when there was some question as to whether Nixon really lost, Nixon conceded defeat. Miner said people were upset, but the country went on with its business.

With the large support for Bush and Republicans in Indiana, Head said, it's difficult being a Democrat at this time. Many Democrats are not speaking up about the election, she said, but they should.

As one of Indiana's 12 electors, Miner said, he has no special insight into the minds of the Florida electors. Since Bush won the popular vote in Florida, however slim, he said, the electors will be chosen by the Republican party. He said it was still possible a "free-spirited" elector may cast his electoral vote for Gore.

"So be it," Miner said. "I have no way of guessing." [[In-content Ad]]