"Paper Ballot Rectipts" May be added to Georgia's electronic voting machines!

It seems that there ARE some Republicans with a modicum of integrity! Three precincts (only?) will get to see a form of "paper ballot" in their e-voting machines.

Posted on Mon, Mar. 06, 2006

GA Senate Approves Study of Voting Paper Trail

Associated Press

ATLANTA - The state Senate on Monday unanimously approved a plan that could lead to paper ballots being added to Georgia's electronic voting machines.

"My hope is that this legislation will take us one more step forward toward having the most trustworthy, secure voting system in the country," said Sen. Bill Stephens, R-Canton, the plan's sponsor and a candidate for secretary of state in this year's election.

According to the plan, which passed 51-0, precincts in Bibb, Camden and Cobb counties would be outfitted with the paper balloting for November's general election.

If all went well, the state could add the receipts to all of its voting machines by the 2008 presidential election, Stephens said.

Under current SoS Cathy Cox, Georgia switched to an all-electronic voting system in 2002 in the aftermath of the chaotic presidential vote in Florida.

Under the Stephens plan, voters don't keep a copy of their ballot, but instead would be able to review the paper receipt under a clear, plastic cover before finalizing their vote.

The paper ballots could be used in the event of a recount or other challenge to an election's vote total.

Cox, a Democrat running for governor, supports the bill.

Senate Democratic Leader Robert Brown, of Macon, said he supports the measure, but would have liked to see at least one rural county participate in the pilot program and to have seen more counties involved in the test.

The plan now goes to the House. Senate Bill 500, http://www.legis.ga.gov/