After much discussion, the voting machines in Centre County will go from punch cards to optical scan or touch-screen systems to comply with the Help America Vote Act in time for the May state primary elections.

Joyce McKinley, Centre County's director of elections, said the machines would be leased for the May election, and then it would be decided which type of machine would be purchased for future elections.

McKinley said the touch-screen systems would be available but are intended for voters with disabilities to use.

McKinley said the estimated cost of purchasing the new system would be $1.4 million, and federal government grant money would pay for about $900,000 of that cost.

The Centre County Board of Commissioners allowed the county to spend up to $192,000 to lease the equipment, and if the county decides to buy the systems, $100,000 of the lease fee can be used toward the purchase cost, McKinley added.

McKinley said the optical scan system is similar to the format of filling out an SAT exam and involves a piece of paper that voters fill out by bubbling in the circle next to the name of the candidate for whom they intend to vote.

The ballots are then inserted into a scanner, which will tell the voters if they cast their votes correctly.

The key issue in voting correctly is over-voting, which is voting for too many people for the same position.

If someone has over-voted, the machine will allow the voter to fill out a new ballot and void the previous one.

The optical scan system leaves a paper trail, which adds to voter comfort, McKinley said.

"It will be the smoothest transition, and the comfort level of the voter is still intact if there is a paper trail," she said.

The touch-screen systems, however, will not leave a paper trail, which is a concern to some local voters.

Betty Herron, board member of the Centre County League of Women Voters, said she is concerned with any voting system that does not leave a paper trail.

"The League of Women Voters supports a paper trail," Herron said. "How can they have recounts without a paper trail?"

Centre County Commissioner Scott Conklin said the punch-card system had always worked well in Centre County.

"What's nice about the optical scan is it's a very easy transition, and it has a verifiable voter paper trail," he said.

Conklin also said Pennsylvania does not allow a receipt to be printed with the touch-screen system, which is why that system does not have a paper trail.

Conklin said leasing the new voting systems was preferred because it provides time to make a decision.

"There is no reason for Centre County to be a guinea pig with these new machines," Conklin said.

State Rep. Kerry Benninghoff, R-Bellefonte, said he also supports a paper trail.

"We are supportive of anything that will give voters a sense of security," he said. "I hope that there is a paper trail that would help if there are any questions in a particularly close vote."

McKinley also said that voter education would be involved in the transition process, as workshops will be held to help community members learn how to use the new machines.