New governmental voting regulations are forcing the Centre County Board of Commissioners to consider new electronic voting systems, but some citizens have expressed apprehension about the systems' reliability.

Chris Exarchos, Centre County commissioners' chairman, said federal and state government regulations have forced the county to discontinue use of the punch-card machines.

The board is deliberating between optical-scan and direct electronic machines and must choose within the next two weeks to allow time for delivery and training, he said.

But the public has expressed a desire for a paper trail, and the county is currently studying, comparing and working with vendors to find the best option, Centre County Board of Elections Director Joyce McKinley said.

Former county administrator Jon Eich said his primary concern is the rush to implement a new system. He added purchasing a new system that would have to be replaced would be a waste of taxpayers' money.

"Buy once and buy right. My personal preference would be to see the current ... system certified in Pennsylvania for one more year," Eich said.

State College Borough Council member Elizabeth Goreham said she would only support a system with a recount capability that is accurate and reliable.

The decision is important because the residents of State College will lose trust in the system if it is unreliable, Goreham said.

"Voters are very concerned that without a paper printout of the votes, it would be easy for someone to hack into the system, for a system malfunction, for an election to be compromised," Exarchos said.

At the commissioners meeting today, a group of citizens plans to submit a recommendation for the board to purchase the optical-scan machines for the future, since it is the best choice given the circumstances, Eich said.

Optical-scan voting involves the use of a form where voters mark their vote and then the ballot is read by a machine. The technique includes a paper trail, but is an older, more cumbersome technology, Exarchos said.

Currently, the commission is considering leasing the optical-scan machines to test out the system, he said.

The money spent to lease the machines would be deducted from the total cost if the system is purchased; it would most likely cost Centre County around $1.5 million, Exarchos said.

McKinley added Centre County has been given $900,000 by the federal government to help in that transition.

The other option the board is considering is direct electronic voting, which involves a touch screen similar to order machines used at retail and food stores, Exarchos said. However, the direct electronic machines are not authorized to allow a paper backup, he added.

The machines contain databases that could be printed out, but compromising the system is possible, McKinley said. Ohio permits printers, but Pennsylvania law does not, she added.

Direct electronic voting is the ideal system, but until state legislation is passed, which would allow for a paper trail with the touch screen, the optical scan is the best choice, Exarchos said.

If direct electronic voting with a paper trail becomes available, about 400 machines at $3,000 a machine will be needed, Exarchos said.

"The voters ... don't completely trust the touch screen without a paper trail," Exarchos said.