WATERLOO - Black Hawk County will use a new software program in some polling places to assist precinct officials during Tuesday's school board election.

The program, Precinct Atlas, is an electronic poll book designed to help process voters effectively and consistently.

"We've seen this used already in a number of test counties," said Grant Veeder, county auditor and commissioner of elections. "It takes a lot of pressure off the polling officials and assures that voters are processed accurately."

More than 50 counties plan to use the program either during the school election Tuesday or city elections in November.

The electronic poll book consists of a laptop computer with Precinct Atlas and an attached label printer.

Before each election, voter registration information is loaded into the system from I-Voters, the statewide registration and election management system.