Proposed voting machines legislation could cost N.C. counties

RALEIGH (AP) — Legislation proposed in Congress could cost millions of dollars for some local governments in North Carolina to replace voting machines.

The proposal would require voting machines nationwide to have individual paper ballots by November 2012.

Gary Bartlett is director of the State Board of Elections. He says the proposal has good intentions but it's not "practical, reasonable, or cost-effective."

He says the proposal would require counties to spend millions of dollars on new machines, independent audits, and other costs. Many counties bought new machines just last year.

The U.S. House could vote on the legislation this week.

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