The Arapahoe County Clerk and Recorder’s Office completed a “stress test” Aug. 3 to determine the viability of using a web-based voter check-in system in the 2011 Coordinated Election.

The goal of the test was to determine whether the county would be able to successfully connect to SCORE, the Colorado Secretary of State’s web-based pollbook of all registered voters, from 17 Vote Center locations on Election Day, Nov. 1, 2011.

“The stress test simulated an Election Day scenario, with a large number of voters being artificially checked in at our 17 vote center locations at once in order to place strain on the SCORE server and our network connections,” said Clerk and Recorder Nancy Doty. “Our systems handled the volume beautifully with no major issues with connectivity or download speeds. We plan to move ahead using the web-based pollbook starting this year, instead of the inches-thick paper pollbooks we have used for decades.”

During the stress test, volunteers and staff stationed at 17 locations around the county worked to input as many artificial voter check-in’s as possible into SCORE. Meanwhile the County and State Information Technology departments ensured that the SCORE server, County network connection and back-up 3G wireless internet connection remained functional. As a extra precaution, the County also tested a pollbook database loaded onto each computer’s hard drive. No significant issues were noted.

“Using an online check-in system has the added benefit that our voter records are in real-time and will prevent anyone from voting twice,” said Doty. “The check-in process is totally separate from the voting machines, so voters’ ballots will remain secret.”

Registered voters in Arapahoe County can choose to vote in 2011 by mail-in ballot, vote at one of four Early Vote locations between Oct.17-28, or vote at any one of 17 Vote Centers on Nov. 1, regardless of where they live. Vote Centers will replace traditional precinct polling places, and were approved by the Board of County Commissioners in May after a public comment period.

The Arapahoe County Elections Division anticipates that nearly 20 percent of registered voters may choose to cast a ballot at a Vote Center or Early Vote site this year. Nearly 80 percent of registered voters will cast a mail-in ballot. Voters who have requested a mail-in ballot must vote using this method, and may not vote at an Early Vote or Vote Center location.

For more information on the election, to request a mail-in ballot, or to find a voting location near you, please visit www.arapahoevotes.com or call the Arapahoe County Elections Division at 303-795-4511.