Franklin County Commissioners this week approved spending 12 million dollars to purchase new voting machines.
The state is contributing 10 million dollars to offset the cost of the machines. The devices will be used this coming May. They give voters the option of a touch screen machine and paper ballots. The county Board of Elections says the machines will issue a paper ballot, which voters will insert into a counter. The board will open a facility to teach voters how to use the machines. It will also hold public forums.