In December the state will certify several options, including optical-scanner and touch-screen systems.

After the 2000 election problems, Florida required its counties to replace punch-card voting systems with touch-screen systems, some of which were purchased from Sequoia.

Officials expect fewer problems with the touch-screen systems, which may be employed in many of the state's larger counties in the next election.

The city had a $60 million contract with Sequoia for touch-screen systems in the early 1990's.

Lever and touch-screen systems leave behind no such trace of intent.

That touch-screen system replaced punch cards.

Every part of a touch-screen system must work fast.

Still others use touch-screen systems, which are like automated teller machines at banks.

Many localities that bought touch-screen systems have already had to replace them because of their defects and unreliability.

It sells a touch-screen system, already in limited use in seven states, for $3,200 to $3,600, and a decade-old optical scanning system for $5,700.