After scientists at the National Institute for Standards and Technology (NIST) warned in a draft report that U.S. states shouldn't use touch-screen voting systems unless they also print ballots on paper, the Election Assistance Commission - the nation's top election oversight board - approved guidelines for electronic voting machines. These are the first federal standards to be put in place, but stop short of requiring states to follow them.

"In principle, a single clever, dishonest programmer in a voting machine company could rig an entire statewide election if the state uses mainly one kind of system. Touch-screen systems cannot be made secure," the NIST report said.

Thirty-two states and the District of Columbia use electronic touch-screen voting systems, according to electionline.org , a Web site that tracks election issues. Five states, and some counties in 10 others, do not use a paper backup with those touch-screen systems, according to NIST.

The Election Assistance Commission also accepted a new definition of "election crimes" and authorized the first government-sponsored national study on the subject.

Election crimes have been defined as actions that allow ineligible persons to vote, eligible voters to be excluded or other similar interference. The new definition says such crimes generally involve deceptions, coercion, damage or inaction.

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