The 2007 Montana Legislature authorized spending $1 million to replace the outdated voting systems that legislators have been using for the past 15-20 years.

Since July, workers have been rewiring lawmakers' desks, replacing vote display boards on the chamber walls and installing control panels for the new system. They expect to finish by the end of September.

The new systems will see their first official use on Jan. 5, 2009, when the 61st session of the Legislature convenes.

Steve Eller is computer system manager for the Legislative Services Division. He says the state bought the new system from International Roll-Call, a Virginia-based company with 60 years of experience designing and installing voting systems and software.