The feelings of bitterness about the 2000 election haven’t evaporated yet. Critics said the election highlighted many failures in America’s election process. But a repeat of the 2000 crisis could be looming on the horizon. This time around, however, there’s something we can do about it.

First, a quick lesson in provisional ballots: In order to solve the problems of the 2000 voting snafu, the Help America Vote Act of 2002 was created to include all voters who would have been turned away by the 2000 guidelines. The act championed the use of provisional ballots, which are ballots cast by unregistered voters that are checked for validity after the polls close.

The idea is good in theory — under HAVA, any voter who does not appear on the voter list or is told by the poll official that he or she is not eligible to vote but believes he is a registered voter in that jurisdiction has the right to cast a provisional ballot, the legitimacy of which will be determined later.

The problem is that these voters could show up in places other than their voting precinct. They can show up anywhere and demand that their vote is counted, creating a vote-counting nightmare.

There are many dangers that loom over the horizon. If floods of voters show up right before the polls close, it will make counting the votes a drawn-out process that essentially guarantees the winner won’t be announced by Wednesday.

Provisional voting problems will be just another contested item in the election. Things are already getting ugly at voting locations. In South Florida, thousands of absentee ballots are missing, and now there are claims of voter intimidation. Democratic demonstrators tried to shut down Republican party officials and legislators who called allegations of voter fraud.

But if the decision gets pushed into overtime, provisional voting will most likely be the culprit. DeForest “Buster” Soaries, chairman of the Federal Election Assistance Commission, warned that there is a risk that poll workers won’t be able to handle provisional ballots and that “the manner in which the ballots are verified could be challenged.”

So what does this mean for you, the voter? It means to be responsible with your freedom under HAVA. Show up to the polls early and vote in your precinct. Since most workers still don’t completely understand provisional ballots, showing up at the poll’s closing time will complicate the process.

If voters aren’t responsible this election, then determining the winner of the presidential election could make the 2000 presidential election look as simple as determining the Homecoming queen.