Paper audit trail recommended for electronic voting.

• Author: Swartz, Nikki
• Position: UP FRONT: News, Trends & Analysis

Voting irregularities identified in the 2004 U.S. presidential election have led to a number of legislative proposals this year and a recent recommendation by a U.S. election commission that electronic voting machines produce a paper audit trail. The commission, headed by former president Jimmy Carter, said in its report that this paper trail would allow random testing and permit recounts to verify accuracy, both of which will increase citizens' confidence in election results.

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After the protracted controversy and vote recount of the 2000 presidential election, Congress spent $650 million to upgrade electronic voting machines, but it did not set requirements for a paper trail. Critics say that the commission's recommendations are...