§17-16-1. Preservation of voted ballot containers and records of election containers; electronic voting specialists.

(a) The voted ballot containers and records of election containers shall remain sealed for the time provided by law for the filing of contests and then shall have the seal broken only on the order of that body which, under the general provisions of law, now has charge of and control over voted ballot containers and records of election containers in that county, municipality, or other political subdivision. If, in the opinion of such body, a contest has developed or is likely to develop, the containers shall remain sealed until such time as ordered opened by the court hearing the contest, or until a final determination of the contest. On the order of any court of competent jurisdiction or on the order of any legislative body or governing body having jurisdiction over such election, the seal may be broken for the purpose of proper investigation and when such investigation is completed, the voted ballot containers and records of election containers shall again be sealed and across the containers shall be written the signature of the person or persons having broken the seal. The inspector shall securely seal all records taken from an electronic voting machine in an envelope or container and on the outside thereof label the envelope or container in such manner as to indicate plainly the electronic voting machine from which they were removed and the month, day, and the year of the election of which they are records. Each election official shall certify to the accuracy of the record and shall sign the envelope or container across the seal. This certificate and all other records removed from the electronic voting machines shall be delivered to the sheriff after an election and preserved by the sheriff for the appropriate length of time and then destroyed.

(b) In addition to the custodian now authorized by law, a county commission may employ electronic voting specialists to serve as trouble shooters during elections. These persons are to be trained in the operation of electronic voting equipment and in these procedures. Specialists may be sent to assist in any precinct when accompanied by the sheriff or sheriff's deputy, but they shall not assume the title or authority of the regular poll workers assigned to a precinct.

(Acts 1939, No. 292, p. 443; Code 1940, T. 17, §114; Acts 1956, 1st Ex. Sess., No. 143, p. 207; §17-9-35; amended and renumbered by Act 2006-570, p. 1331, §78.)