STOCKTON, Calif. -- Voters are going to the polls in California Tuesday, and in some counties they're finding new, electronic touch-screen voting machines instead the old paper ballots.

San Joaquin County joins 15 other counties in the state to use the new machines. The county used the machines in two, small special elections last year, but this election marks the first time they are being used county-wide.

"I liked it ... it was easy to understand ... it was easy to do," voter Phil Scantling said.

There have been a few glitches.

One precinct had trouble getting started, and at least one voter said he couldn't wait because he had to get to work.

"I feel terrible about it. They've taken away a good voting system that used to work fine for anybody that was in their right mind and could read and write," Vern Green said.

Those who wanted to vote the old way could still go to the main elections office and fill in the blanks on a paper ballot.

"I'm not ready to work with the computer for my vote," voter Nick Rishwain said.

The county's registrar of voters said the touch-screen machines are more likely to count the vote accurately and will save the county hundreds of thousands of dollars each election.

"Well, we estimate about $500,000 for a major election ... so (the savings) would be like $1 million for 2004," San Joaquin County Registrar of Voters Deborah Hench said.

The real test of the machines will come after the poll close -- when the vote count begins.

Hench said results are expected faster than under the old card system.

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