§11-46-45. Preparation of statements of vote; certification, sealing, and delivery of statements and poll lists; packaging of ballots; sealing and delivery of ballot boxes.

(a) At elections where paper ballots are used, as soon as the ballots are all counted, the inspectors must ascertain the number of votes received for each person and for what office and must make a statement of same in writing. Each of the inspectors must sign this statement and must also certify in writing on the sealed envelope containing the poll list signed by the electors that such poll list is the poll list of the election in the ward or voting place at which they were inspectors, the day and year on which such election was held and for what offices. The statement of the vote and the poll list thus certified, together with a list of the registered electors qualified to vote at such voting place at such election on such day, must be sealed up in an envelope furnished along with the other election supplies and addressed to the municipal governing body. Each of the inspectors shall write his or her name across every fold at which the envelope when fastened could be opened, and such envelope shall be delivered immediately to the returning officer of the ward, who shall deliver it to the municipal clerk along with the ballot box within the time prescribed in subsection (c).

(b) As soon as the ballots contained in a ballot box have been counted and the statement of the vote prepared as directed in subsection (a), the inspectors shall roll up the ballots so counted, seal the bundle thereof, and label the same as to show for what officer or officers the ballots contained therein were received. The rejected ballots, if any, shall also be rolled up, the package thereof labelled as rejected ballots and sealed up as the other parcel of ballots. These sealed packages, together with the sealed poll list made by one of the clerks, shall be returned by the inspectors to the ballot box from which the ballots were taken and the ballot box shall be securely sealed and labelled so as to show the nature of its contents. The inspectors shall also attach to the outside of the box a slip of paper or other device showing the total votes received by each candidate voted for in such election.

(c) The envelope containing the statement of the votes prepared pursuant to subsection (a) and the sealed ballot box shall be delivered to the returning officer of the ward who shall immediately and in any event not later than 11:00 A.M. of the next day after the polls have closed deliver them to the municipal clerk, who shall thereupon give such returning officer a receipt stating therein the condition of the box when received.

(Acts 1961, No. 663, p. 827, §25; Acts 1980, No. 80-94, p. 140, §6; Act 2010-687, p. 1660, §1.)