diff --git a/docker-compose.seed.yml b/docker-compose.seed.yml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..355c857
--- /dev/null
+++ b/docker-compose.seed.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+services:
+  seed:
+    build: ./seed-data
+    networks:
+      - front-tier
+    restart: "no"
+
+networks:
+  front-tier:
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/seed-data/Dockerfile b/seed-data/Dockerfile
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..18e55e8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/seed-data/Dockerfile
@@ -0,0 +1,16 @@
+FROM python:3.9-slim
+
+# add apache bench (ab) tool
+RUN apt-get update \
+    && apt-get install -y --no-install-recommends \
+    apache2-utils \
+    && rm -rf /var/lib/apt/lists/*
+
+WORKDIR /seed
+
+COPY . .
+
+# create POST data files with ab friendly formats
+RUN python make-data.py
+
+CMD /seed/generate-votes.sh
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/seed-data/generate-votes.sh b/seed-data/generate-votes.sh
new file mode 100755
index 0000000..2f82563
--- /dev/null
+++ b/seed-data/generate-votes.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+#!/bin/sh
+
+# create 3000 votes (2000 for option a, 1000 for option b)
+ab -n 1000 -c 50 -p posta -T "application/x-www-form-urlencoded" http://vote/
+ab -n 1000 -c 50 -p postb -T "application/x-www-form-urlencoded" http://vote/
+ab -n 1000 -c 50 -p posta -T "application/x-www-form-urlencoded" http://vote/
diff --git a/seed-data/make-data.py b/seed-data/make-data.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..def9f97
--- /dev/null
+++ b/seed-data/make-data.py
@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+# this creates urlencode-friendly files without EOL
+import urllib.parse
+
+outfile = open('postb', 'w')
+params = ({ 'vote': 'b' })
+encoded = urllib.parse.urlencode(params)
+outfile.write(encoded)
+outfile.close()
+outfile = open('posta', 'w')
+params = ({ 'vote': 'a' })
+encoded = urllib.parse.urlencode(params)
+outfile.write(encoded)
+outfile.close()