Terrific late-breaking news. California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger today signed the voter-verifiable paper trail bill, ensuring that all Californians will have auditable elections by 2006.

Senators Ross Johnson (R-Orange) and Don Perata (D-Alameda) authored Senate Bill 1438, which requires all electronic voting machines to produce a voter-verifiable paper trail by January 2006, in time for the next statewide election. The new law also prohibits the Secretary of State from certifying paperless electronic voting systems after January 1, 2005, and prohibits counties from purchasing such voting systems after January 1, 2006. The law confirms the orders made by Secretary of State Kevin Shelley late last year.

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