London, May 4, SPA -- Serious technical failures of a new electroniccounting system have thrown voting in regional elections in Scotlandinto chaos and confusion, the electoral commission said today. According to dpa, the commission has launched an investigation into the problem inScotland, where counting had to be suspended in some areas and atotal of up to 100,000 ballot papers could be spoilt. The electoral authorities in Scotland said "serious technicalfailures" had delayed the announcement of some results. They saidvoter confusion about how to fill in ballot papers and problems withpostal votes had aggravated the problems. "It is important that they look as a matter of urgency intodelays in postal ballots, the high number of spoiled ballot papers,and the performance of the electronic counting machines," said theelectoral commission. A commission spokeswoman said she could not comment on whether theelection would have to be re-run.-- SPA www.spa.gov.sa/446696