HARTFORD — Connecticut has launched a new system that allows cities and towns to electronically audit election results rather than conduct traditional hand counts.

Secretary of the State Denise Merrill said Thursday the system is being used this week at seven polling locations, which were chosen in the state's annual audit of randomly drawn communities.

Merrill says cities and towns typically dread being chosen for the audits because they're time-consuming and costly.

Vernon Registrar of Voters John Anderson says his community was able to process nearly 3,000 ballots in just over three hours using the new technology. In the past, he's experienced audits involving hand counts of fewer ballots that took nearly all day and required the town to hire as many as six extra workers.