As Amended
SEC. 23-15-639. Examination of absentee ballots at close of polls; counting of ballots.
At the close of the regular balloting and at the close of the polls, the election managers of each voting precinct shall first take the envelopes containing the absentee ballots of such electors from the box, and the name, address and precinct inscribed on each such envelope shall be announced by the election managers. The signature on the application shall then be compared with the signature on the back of the envelope. If it corresponds and the affidavit, if one is required, is sufficient and the election managers find that the applicant is a registered and qualified voter or otherwise qualified to vote, and that he has not appeared in person and voted at such election, the envelope shall then be opened and the ballot removed from the envelope, without its being unfolded, or permitted to be unfolded or examined. Having observed and found the ballot to be regular as far as can be observed from its official endorsement, the election managers shall deposit it in the ballot box with the other ballots before counting any ballots and enter the voter's name in the receipt book provided for that purpose and mark "VOTED" in the pollbook or poll list as if he had been present and voted in person. If voting machines are used, all absentee ballots shall be placed in the ballot box before any ballots are counted, and the election managers in each precinct shall immediately count such absentee ballots and add them to the votes cast in the voting machine or device.
SOURCES: Derived from 1972 Code Sec. 23-9-417 [Codes, 1942, Sec. 3203-403; Laws, 1972, ch. 490, Sec. 403; Repealed by Laws, 1986, ch. 495, Sec. 341]; En, Laws, 1986, ch. 495, Sec. 207, eff from and after January 1, 1987. Laws, 1993, ch. 528, Sec. 9, eff from and after August 16, 1993 (the date the United States Attorney General interposed no objection to the amendment of this section)