With the state looking for new voting equipment - possibly electronic, touch-screen machines - the Highland Republican has proposed legislation that would require the new devices have some type of "unalterable, auditable record" of votes cast.

That could mean some type of printed ballot spits out of the computer after you vote. That way, if there is a need for a recount, election workers can see something on paper, instead of another computer printout with the same results.

Several critics of electronic voting have demanded that the state use some type of paper ballots with the new equipment, which could be purchased this spring and used in some elections this fall.

Some technology experts fear votes could be lost or manipulated with new electronic voting equipment.

Most Utah counties now use punch-card devices, which have garnered a bad reputation since the 2000 Florida presidential election debacle.

"The key thing I'm trying to do is protect the integrity from when that vote is cast to when it's counted," said Dougall, who is sponsoring House Bill 211. "The key thing is avoiding putting too much power behind closed doors."

Dougall represents part of Utah County, where 33,000 votes in the last election went uncounted for almost a week because of a computer error. While he hopes that never happens again, Dougall said he wants to ensure that there's some record so a recount can be done.

Clarity Sanderson, the Internet outreach coordinator for the Utah Democratic Progressive Caucus, said the bill has good intentions. "However, it's missing some key factors to make it as transparent as need be."

Sanderson, who has been following the state's voting switch, says the state needs to have "open-source software," which means the software's code is open to the public to inspect. As currently proposed, the software running the new state system likely would remain proprietary to the company that made it.