INDIANAPOLIS -- A close vote in the latest "American Idol" competition could have been even closer if it weren't for an apparent mistake made by some callers this week.

Some people who intended to place telephone votes for Clay Aiken or Ruben Studdard on Wednesday night called Evansville-based Cinergy Communications instead, RTV6 reported.

The Fox television show asked viewers to vote by phone. A phone number established for the vote, however, was one digit different from a Cinergy number.

Cinergy said it received 250,000 voicemail messages from callers who wanted to vote. The company said Aiken -- the eventual runner-up -- got twice as many voicemail votes as Studdard.

"American Idol" said Studdard won by 130,000 votes. RTV6 attempted to contact the show for comment about the Cinergy voicemail messages, but it hasn't responded.

The latest "American Idol" competition began in January, with 70,000 auditions that took place across the country.

Like last season's "Idol" winner, Kelly Clarkson, Studdard won an RCA recording contract for becoming the new "American Idol." Studdard sang "Flyin' Without Wings" after the win was announced, and was joined onstage during the song by the show's other finalists as well as Aiken.

Wednesday's title was decided at the Universal Amphitheater in Los Angeles. Another competition will begin next January.