Trumbull County officials are planning ballot upgrades for voters in the upcoming May primary election and they aren't talking chads or butterfly ballots.

Instead of using punch-card ballots, which were used in the past elections, county voters will begin using a new touch- screen voting system to meet a federal mandate for election upgrades by the 2004 general election.

Though 23 months stand between now and then, Trumbull County Elections Board supervisor Craig Bonar said the county wants to get a jump on things.

The board began viewing demonstrations Wednesday and testing the new machines with one of four vendors, Voting Technologies International. Today others, which include Hart Interactive, ES&S (Eddie, Sam and Ed) and Diebold Inc., will demonstrate their equipment.

"Until we use it, we don't know," Bonar said.

Hart Interactive estimated the cost of the new balloting system at $2.7 million, or $2,500 per machine for precincts with three or four machines. There are 274 precincts in Trumbull County.

The state and federal governments will pick up the tab for three machines per precinct, Bonar said, with 95 percent coming from Washington.

Bonar said one machine should be able to handle about 250 voters per election, though he isn't sure if the new system will work faster or slower than the current one.

Precinct size appears to be one of the largest stumbling blocks with the high-tech equipment. The government is offering three machines per precinct, though with the current punch-ballot system, up to six voting machines have been used during elections. Officials may be forced to reduce precinct sizes to accommodate the number of voters and machines, Bonar said.

To avoid voting confusion, voters will be able to test out the new machinery before election time, Bonar said. Vendors have already offered to set up sessions at local malls, schools and hospitals for practice tests.

"We're in the beginning stages right now. We're starting early enough so that voters won't be caught off guard."

Mercer County installed its touch screen voting system in 2001 and has experienced few problems. In Ohio, Mahoning County was the first to use touch screen voting during the November general election. Some county voters were frustrated with long lines and delayed results.

Later this month at its winter conference, the election board will attend a full informational session reviewing changes and funding in an attempt to avoid such problems.