PEABODY – Poll workers paid extra attention during Wednesday night’s standard pre-Election Day refresher course at City Hall. After 20 years of using the outdated Optech voting system, Peabody has finally caught up with the times and made the switch to AccuVote.AccuVote is basically an updated version of Optech, an electronic optical scanner. With the new system, voters will make their votes by simply penciling in an oval next to the candidate’s name – no drawing or connecting arrows needed. The paper ballot is then inserted into the AccuVote scanner, which picks up the marks, and tallies up the votes.The AccuVote system has been used in nearly half of the cities and towns in Massachusetts, said City Clerk Tim Spanos, who ran the training session.”The Optechs we had were about 20 years old,” said Spanos. “And we were having a few breakdowns per election. I think it was the right time to get the new voting system.”Also new this year is the AutoMARK Voter Assist Terminal, which helps voters with physical disabilities cast their votes. To use it, voters insert their ballot into the AutoMARK terminal, an image of the ballot pops up onto the computer screen, and voters then choose from a variety of options to assist them in the process. Such options include making selections using a touch screen, pressing keys on a keypad, or using a puff-sip or foot pedal for people with limited physical movement. For those who are visually impaired, there’s a Braille keypad option and an audio system that provides instructions available in multiple languages through the use of headphones.”It seems pretty cool,” said Spanos. “We already had a training course on AutoMARK, probably back in August.”According to Spanos, AutoMARK was mandated by the Secretary of State William Galvin. The commonwealth of Massachusetts has since provided every polling location throughout the state with at least one AutoMARK terminal.