(a) The City Clerk shall count ballots in accordance with procedures used by the City Clerk to count ballots for other similar elections. Only the City Clerk may handle ballots. All ballots counted and uncounted shall be kept in view of the authorized observers at all times and until the unofficial results are finalized.
(b) If a ballot is torn, defaced, marked in an ambiguous fashion, or is otherwise defective, the City Clerk shall determine whether the intent of the voter can be reasonably determined and, if so, determine it. If intent cannot be reasonably determined or if the ballot directly or indirectly identifies the voter, the ballot shall be declared void by the City Clerk and shall be preserved for a period of 90 calendar days.
(c) After preparing the official certified results, the City Clerk will ensure that the ballots are secured in a location for a minimum of 90 calendar days where the ballots and identification envelopes may not be removed by anyone other than the City Clerk for election related reasons.
SECTION HISTORY
Added by Ord. No. 184,664, Eff. 1-25-17.