A fake ballot tested vote counting software – 24heures.ch

Tuesday, 17 h 30 precise, 257 municipalities are connected simultaneously to Votelec, the Vaud vote counting software. In Lausanne, eight volunteers Sévelin officials gathered in a room of the IT Department of the City for the real test. In thirty minutes, they entered into the system all fictitious reports provided by Canton. Purpose of the simulation: see if the cantonal computer program supports more simultaneous connections that in 2011

The answer is yes.. The test is a success, confirming “the reliability and stability of the software,” rejoiced yesterday Canton. Votelec seems ready to end the federal elections of 18 October.

Relief so. It must be said that even if the program ran smoothly for cantonal 2012, the great 2011 bug is in everyone’s memory.
 On Sunday, October 23 of that year, the cantonal federal election results fall one after the other. All except the Canton of Vaud, which will be able to publish the following afternoon. Burdened, Votelec planted. “Very soon, we could not make entry, remembers an official Lausanne on the bridge that day. We were completely stranded. “

Corinne Martin, Head of Service of Commons and housing, wants to be reassuring. “This kind of load test is performed just before each major election. The real challenge for us, it was 2012 and everything worked well. Then the Canton Information Systems Branch continued to work on improving the program. Tuesday, we found that even if 349 users are connected simultaneously to enter 7500 bulletins, information processing speed is not flexed. “

” Not a waste of time ”
 Two hundred and fifty seven communes have played the game. “A great participation”, says Corinne Martin. Six hundred members of the electoral offices were also trained in the use of Votelec. A waste of time to feel good in Canton, lamented some in the columns of the Friday Times. The trustee of Belmont, Gustave Muheim, does not share that feeling. “Good training is essential. The requirements are extremely sharp for counting. “

” It is not at all a waste of time, as the judge in charge of votes for the Commune of Lausanne, Sylvie Ecklin. This test dress rehearsal for us. We have a responsibility to the voters. “At the head of operations on October 18 at the headquarters of Beaulieu, she hopes to give the Lausanne result for the election of the Council of States to 13 h. (24 hours)

(Created: 9/16/2015, 6:22 p.m.)