The Kansas Republican Party plans to have a statewide network of GOP lawyers ready to intervene on Election Day, and it will analyze close races for potential legal action — as its director warns of "dubious tactics" from Democrats.

The network of attorneys is part of the Republicans’ plan for a poll-watching program as well as an Election Day war room with a complement of lawyers on standby. The party will target some polling locations for all-day observation and is urging candidates, county officers and precinct leaders to become poll agents (often called poll watchers) and visit polling locations.

The Kansas Republican Party’s poll-watching operation is detailed in a Sunday email from Clayton Barker, the organization’s director. The email, obtained by The Topeka Capital-Journal, begins with a reminder of the election’s consequences.

"Warning: The Kansas election could determine the balance of power in Congress. The Democrats have a well-earned reputation of using dubious tactics on election day to boost their vote results. We must be vigilant to detect any problematic conduct and report it immediately," Barker’s email reads.

In the email, Barker writes that poll watchers will be looking for improper procedures, such as poll workers not requiring a voter ID, allowing unqualified voters to vote, improper electioneering in or near the polling place, improper assistance to voters or intimidation of voters and disorderly conduct.

In a document called "Poll Agent Basics" attached to the email, uses for poll watchers are outlined, including working to increase voter turnout. The document says poll watchers with a list of key voters can cross off their names as those voters check in. Then, at a designated time, the poll watchers call in the names of those who haven’t voted.

Although a poll watcher may be able to hear voters say their names as they check in, they aren’t allowed within 3 feet of the election board table or a voting booth. They also can’t ask election workers to show them the master poll book that voters sign when they come to vote.

Jason Perkey, director of the Kansas Democratic Party, said Democrats will defend the right to vote and slammed Barker’s accusation that Democrats engage in "dubious tactics."

"He should take a look in the mirror," Perkey said.

In an interview, Barker said the reference to "dubious tactics" wasn’t referring to Kansas Democrats.

"That was not meant at the state Democrats. I know a lot of Republicans, they’re very sensitive to the vote fraud issue and sometimes you have to motivate people to help out," Barker said.

The plan outlined in the email is the Republicans’ normal Election Day plan, Barker said, adding that the only difference is the added attention paid to the state because of the possibility the race between Sen. Pat Roberts and Greg Orman will determine which party controls the U.S. Senate.

Kansas rarely has any problems on Election Day, Barker said. Still, Republicans want to make sure they’re watching polls throughout the state. About 30 lawyers have volunteered to be on standby, Barker said.

Perkey declined to discuss the Democrats’ Election Day operation. However, an email from the Douglas County Democratic Party does shed some light on the party’s plan in that area.

In the Tuesday morning email, Douglas County Democrats are seeking poll watchers to track who has already voted, as Republicans also plan to do.

"Once the poll watchers provide information on which voters have already voted, the callers will get in gear and begin phoning Democratic-leaning voters who have not yet voted. Callers will be given a short, easy script to follow," the email reads.

Polls have shown close races in many of the state’s top races, such as for governor, U.S. Senate and secretary of state. If the result of a race is close or in question, Kansas law dictates what steps candidates and others can take.

According to an election handbook posted on the secretary of state’s website, a candidate, the county board of canvassers or a voter who voted in the election in question may request a recount. The individual requesting the recount must post a bond to pay for the cost of the recount. However, if the recount reverses the outcome of the election, that person isn’t charged the cost of the recount.

But if a recount is requested in a state general election where the margin was 0.5 of a percent or less, the state reimburses the counties for the cost.

The election handbook emphasizes that recounts are designed to rectify mistakes made during the counting of ballots but don’t address whether a ballot should be counted in the first place. For those issues, an election contest may be used.

There are several grounds that someone may use to contest an election, including eligible voters being deprived of the right to vote when their votes could have changed the outcome of an election and illegal votes when the votes could have changed the outcome. Courts consider contested elections.