19:52-5. Locking, sealing of voting machine; reading, announcement of votes

19:52-5. Immediately upon the close of the polls, the district election officers shall lock and seal the voting machine against further voting and open the counter compartment in the presence of persons who may be lawfully present at that time, giving full view of the counters. The judge of the district board, under the scrutiny of a member of such board who is not a member of the same political party as the judge, shall then in the order of the offices as their titles are arranged on the machine, read and announce in distinct tones the result as shown by the counters, and shall then read the votes recorded for each office on the irregular ballots. He shall also, in the same manner, read and announce the vote on each constitutional amendment, proposition or other question. As each vote is read and announced, it shall be recorded in two statements of canvass by two other members of such district board who are not members of the same political party, and when completed the record thereof shall be compared with the numbers on the counters of the machine. If found to be correct, the result shall be announced by the judge of such board and the statement of canvass, after being duly certified, shall be filed as now provided by law for filing election returns. After the reading and announcing of the vote and before the doors of the counter compartment of the voting machine shall be closed, ample opportunity shall be given to any person or persons lawfully present to compare the results so announced with the counters of the machine and any necessary corrections shall then and there be made by such district board. No tally sheets nor return blanks as required by law for use in election districts where paper ballots are used shall be furnished or used in election districts where voting machines are used, but in lieu thereof there shall be furnished two copies of a statement of canvass to conform to the requirements of the make and type of voting machine or machines being used.

Amended 1996, c.120, s.8.