WESSON – Most Copiah-Lincoln Community College students feltmore confident about election day after receiving training on thenew touch-screen voting machines Thursday, but some said they stillfavored the paper ballots.

Ricky Sistrunk, of Georgetown, said he liked the new votingmachines, but could understand some people’s reluctance to trustthem.

“It’s quite trustworthy and simple to use,” he said. “I thinkpeople might want a more traditional machine because that’s whatthey were raised on.”

However, the touch-screen machines represent progress and are “astep in the right direction,” he said. All things progress, hesaid, and the voting system was overdue for a change.

Germaineke Guynes, of Crystal Springs, agreed.

Guynes said Thursday was his first exposure to the new machinesand he was impressed with their simplicity. He said he would trustthe results.

After learning the steps to cast a ballot on the machine, ChrisWalker, of Hazlehurst, said he had no personal objection to them.However, he worried about the elderly and others who may beintimidated by the technology.

“I understand it, but I’m a little concerned for other people.Some people don’t like computers,” he said. “They’re good, but if Ihad my choice I would still have pencil and paper. Everyone canunderstand that better.”

He also had concerns that voters not familiar with technologywould not be able to correct their mistakes or would notdouble-check their ballots.

The students’ reactions were typical of those the Secretary ofState’s office has received during visits to familiarize citizenswith the machines at churches, civic groups, schools, nursing homesand other public venues , said Jenny Newman, regional voteroutreach coordinator for Southwest Mississippi.

People are more comfortable with pencil and paper ballotsbecause they are familiar with it, she said. The goal of the visitsis to give citizens opportunities to become as familiar with thevoting machines as they are with the paper ballots.

“Overwhelmingly, people are very accepting and warm about themachines,” she said. “There is a great deal of anxiety andskepticism among our elderly, especially, when they approach it forthe first time, but after we explain the process and benefits tothem they are very excited about it.”

The machines virtually eliminate three mistakes that often marsome paper ballots, Newman said.

In cases on paper ballots where more votes were cast thanallowed, the ballot was thrown out. The machine will not allow anovervote to be cast and queries the voter to reconsider the race inquestion, she said.

An undervote, which occurs when a voter does not vote in a raceon the ballot, will be allowed by the machine, but only after thevoter confirms that they do not wish to vote in that race. Itprevents voters from overlooking a race and not voting there onaccident, Newman said.

Perhaps the most important benefit of the machines, however, isthat it provides the freedom for the blind, deaf and otherhandicapped voters to cast their ballots without assistance, shesaid.

College students across the state were given the opportunityThursday to learn how to operate the machines under an outreachprogram by the Secretary of State’s office. Representatives of theoffice visited more than 25 college campuses in an effort to reachvoters between the ages of 18 and 24, which is considered the mostdifficult demographic to get to the polls on election day.

Guynes said he would certainly cast his ballot on electionday.

“I have to. My mother makes me,” he said with a grin.

Newman said she was pleased with the number of students who tookthe time to learn the machines during her hour in CallendarHall.

“The students have seemed genuinely interested and eager tolearn the process,” she said. “I’ve heard the students not onlyencourage each other to check out the machine, but also to vote -so it’s been a good visit.”