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COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) -- A bill allowing South Carolina residents to register to vote online has advanced.

A House Judiciary panel on Thursday approved the bill advocated as a way to save money and create a more reliable database of voter information. The full committee will likely take it up next week.

David Becker of the Washington-based Pew Center on the States says nine states already use the online system, and three more are working toward it. The first was Arizona in 2002. The director of Pew's election initiatives says the system is easier for voters, involves less paperwork and is less prone to inaccuracies.

Becker says the upfront cost has been between $200,000 and $300,000 per state.

The panel also again advanced a bill requiring registration by party to vote in a primary.

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