(11/13/06) THE BRONX - Election experts in Bronx and New York City are discussing which voting method should be used at next year's polls.

An edict mandates the old lever voting machines must be replaced in New York City by the September 2007 elections. The two options central to the debate are paper ballots vs. electronic machines. The League of Women Voters endorses paper ballots. League representatives say the technology of electronic voting machines is not quite there yet and is very unreliable. They also say new paper ballots can be scanned, which provides a backup method unavailable with many electronic balloting systems.

A commission from each borough will make a decision in the coming months before a citywide plan is implemented.