Bill would require voting paper trail for all counties

The measure was unanimously approved Thursday. The House passed the companion bill 88-6 earlier this week.

Both chambers must now work out differences in the legislation before it heads to the governor for his consideration.

The bill would require the paper trail process be in place no later than 2010.

Besides verifying a voter’s selections, the paper trail would also be used in recounts or random samplings testing the accuracy of electronic voting machines.

A report released earlier this year by the Tennessee Advisory Commission on Intergovernmental Relations shows only two of Tennessee’s 95 counties keep a paper trail of voters’ ballots and recommends all state counties adopt the practice.