Secretary of State Cathy Cox recently submitted a cost proposal to lawmakers and Gov. Sonny Perdue, saying it would cost between $19.5 million and $75 million to give voters a paper record of votes.

Georgia has already spent about $75 million in federal funds to make the switch to electronic voting in 2002. But a growing mistrust of electronic voting and worries about the possible susceptibility to fraud have prompted a push for a voter-verified paper trail.

The paper record would scroll out of the voting machine listing voters' choices made on the touchscreen. The voter would then be asked to verify that the receipt matches their computer selections but would not be allowed to take the paper with them. The receipts could later be used in the case of recounts or audits.

Georgia's voting machines do not produce such a paper trail and would either have to be retrofitted or replaced.

``Recent advancement in technology in the industry has provided an opportunity to increase voter confidence in the use of electronic voting equipment through the addition of a (paper trail),'' Cox wrote in a letter to Perdue and legislative budget writers. ``This technology comes at a significant cost and, obviously, it is up to you, the next Secretary of State and the legislative leadership to weigh the cost versus the benefit of increased voter confidence.''

Cox sought estimates from Diebold Election Systems, the manufacturer of Georgia's 24,757 voting machines.

Diebold estimated that retrofitting Georgia's machines would cost about $19.5 million. Buying new machines currently available with paper trail technology would cost about $66 million, if the state traded in its current units. Purchasing Diebold's top-of-the-line machines, still under development, would cost $75.2 million.

Cox initially opposed paper trail technology, saying it was unnecessary and potentially costly. But she changed her position last year before making a failed run for governor.

Key state legislators, as well as Perdue, have expressed support for a paper audit trail. But no one has yet committed the money for such a project.

(Copyright 2006 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)