(a) Preparing Election Facility Procedures. The following procedures shall be followed in preparing the election facility:
(1) Four individuals shall be selected by Council and they shall constitute the Receiving Board. Two of the individuals shall be deemed as Clerks and two individuals shall be deemed as Commissioners.
(Passed 10-7-13.)
(3) The Commissioners shall check to make certain that the ballot boxes are empty and then shall proceed to place a lock on each ballot box.
(4) The two Clerks shall check to make certain that all election supplies are present and available, then the ballots shall be brought out and made available to voters.
(5) The Receiving Board shall post instructions and sample ballots inside the polling place and at least sixty feet away from the polling place.
(6) The Receiving Board shall raise the flag and place a sign outside indicating that a polling place is located on these premises.
(7) If a member of the Receiving Board is unable to discharge his duties, Council shall fill the vacancy by appointing an individual of the same political party as the absent member.
(b) Disposition of Ballot to Voter and Return to Ballot Box.
(1) When a voter approaches the Receiving Board to vote, one Clerk shall fill out a poll slip, which shall include the registration number of the voter, and the other Clerk shall check the voter's registration record by comparing the signature and physical description of the voter and then checking to see if any previous challenges exist on the voter's registration record.
(2) Both Clerks shall then sign the back of the ballot and shall mark the voter's registration record, indicating that the voter has voted.
(3) After marking his ballot, the voter shall hand his ballot to a Commissioner who shall check the number of the ballot and make sure it has been duly signed. The Commissioner shall then hand the ballot to a second Commissioner who shall check the same. The second Commissioner shall then put the ballot in the ballot box.
(c) Challenging Votes. A Clerk may challenge a person's vote if:
(1) The person is not on the registration record;
(2) The person has moved from his registered precinct more than thirty days before the election;
(3) The person has changed his name more than thirty days before the election;
(4) The person's signature does not match the signature on the registration record;
(5) Any doubt arises about the person's ability to vote.
It shall be unlawful for a Clerk to make a frivolous challenge and such conduct may be punished by a fine not to exceed two hundred dollars ($200.00).
(d) Assisting Voter.
(1) Voters who are either illiterate or blind may obtain assistance in voting. If the person is illiterate, then both Poll Clerks shall assist him. If the person is blind, then he may choose anyone to assist him.
(2) It shall be forbidden for anyone to discuss politics within 300 feet of the polling place, and it shall also be forbidden for anyone, except the voter, to be within five feet of the voting booth.
(e) Board of Clerks Leaving Duty. The Receiving Board should try to remain at their posts at all times. If they must leave, they should return promptly. If one of the Poll Clerks leaves, it shall be permissible for him to sign several ballots in advance. The remaining Clerk, however, shall not sign the ballots until a voter desires to vote.
(f) Spoiling of Ballot. If a voter mismarks his ballot, he may obtain a new ballot and one of the Poll Clerks shall destroy and record the mismarked ballot.
(1978 Code Secs. 6-28 to 6-33.)
(g) Counting Board. The Receiving Board may also serve as the Counting Board. In this case, however, the Board shall wait until the polls have closed before they can begin counting.
(Passed 10-7-13.)
(h) Closing of Polls. The polls shall close at 7:30 p.m. on the day of the election.
(i) Handling of Absentee Ballots. The following procedures shall be used once the polls have been closed:
(1) The Receiving Board Clerks shall count the number of destroyed ballots and the number of unused ballots and record them;
(2) The Receiving Board Clerks shall check the absentee ballots to see if challenges should be made;
(3) The Receiving Board Clerks shall make up a poll slip for each absentee ballot;
(4) The Receiving Board Clerks shall take the number one envelope, containing the absentee ballot, from the number two ballot and shuffle them;
(5) Both Receiving Board Clerks shall sign each absentee ballot and shall note in the registration record that the individual has voted. They shall then put the absentee ballots in the ballot box.
(j) Votes Tallied.
(1) It shall be the duty of the Commissioners of the Counting Board to count the votes and the duty of the Clerks of the Counting Board to record the votes on the tally sheets. In general elections, there shall be two tally sheets.
(2) During the course of counting, if the intention of the voter is understood, then the Counting Board shall count his vote and all ballots or votes not counted shall be marked by the Election Commissioners of each precinct with the words "not counted" written upon the ballot or opposite the vote not counted together with a statement with the reasons for not counting, and the total number of invalid ballots marked thus and not counted shall be ascertained by them at the conclusion of the counting, and be shown upon the precinct return certificate and subtracted from the total number of ballots taken from the ballot box.
(3) Once the counting of the votes is completed, certificates of results shall be sent to the Municipal Recorder and the Secretary of State and one copy shall be posted at the polling place. All marked ballots shall be sent to the governing body which serves as the Canvassing Board.
(k) Write-In Votes. If the voter decides to vote for any person whose name does not appear on the ticket, he may substitute that name by writing it in with a black (lead) pencil or other means in the proper place, and making a cross mark in the blank space at the left of the name so written. (1978 Code Secs. 6-28 to 6-38.)