read(STDIN, $buffer, $ENV{'CONTENT_LENGTH'});

##</code><code>##

use CGI;
my $cgi = new CGI;
my $var1 = $cgi->param('FORM_VAR_1');

##</code><code>##

$temp = "$table" . "ips" . ".txt";
$temp1 = "$table" . "results" . ".txt";

##</code><code>##

$temp = "${table}ips.txt";
$temp1 = "${table}results.txt";

##</code><code>##

open(TABLEIP, "<$temp");
while(<TABLEIP>) {
  $thisline = $_;
  chomp($thisline);
  if($thisline == $ipaddress)
  {
    $IPcheck = 1;
    {last}
   }
  else
   {
    $IPcheck = 0;
   }
 }
close(TABLEIP);

##</code><code>##

use IO::File;
....
$IPcheck = 0;
{
  my $file = new IO::File "$temp", "r";
  while (<$file>)
  {
    chomp;  # operates on the $_ variable directly
    if ($_ eq $ipaddress)
    {
      $IPcheck = 1;
      last;
    }
  }
}
# note that you do not have to close the $file handle, falling
# out of the scope and perl will automatically close the file.

##</code><code>##

while(<TABLERESULTS>)
 {
  $thisline = $_;
  $counter++;
 
  if($counter == 1)
   {
    $scoretotal = chomp($thisline);
   }
  
  if($counter == 2)
   {
    $votetotal = chomp($thisline);
   }
  
  if($counter > 2)
   {
    {last}
   }
 }

##</code><code>##

while(<TABLERESULTS>)
{
  $counter++;
  chomp;
  $counter == 1 ? {$scoretotal = $_} :
    $counter == 2 ? {$votetotal = $_} : {last}
}