The election returns from each municipal election precinct shall be filed with the city clerk, who shall immediately place them in the safe or vault in his or her office, and no person shall be permitted to handle, inspect, examine or in any manner inter-fere with the same until canvassed by the council, unless such election is conducted by the county election official. After having been canvassed they shall be sealed up by the city clerk for six months and no person shall have access to them, except on order of a court of general jurisdiction.
Editor's note: This section was amended by the voters of the city on March 26, 1996.