Regulation Adapting the Canada Elections Act for the Purposes of a Referendum — 175
Examining and sealing of ballot box 175 (1) At the opening of an advance polling station at noon on the first day of voting, the deputy returning officer shall, in full view of the agents of registered referendum committees or witnesses who are present, (a) open the ballot box and ascertain that it is empty; (b) seal the ballot box with the seals provided by the Chief Electoral Officer; and (c) place the ballot box on a table in full view of all present and keep it there until the close of the advance polling station on that day. Close of advance poll (2) At the close of the advance polling station at 8:00 p.m. on each of the three days of voting, the deputy returning officer shall, in full view of the agents of registered referendum committees or witnesses who are present, (a) unseal and open the ballot box; (b) empty the ballots cast during that day, in a manner that does not disclose for which answer to a referendum question any elector has voted, into the envelope supplied for the purpose, seal the envelope with the seal provided by the Chief Electoral Officer and indicate on it the number of ballots contained in it; (c) count the spoiled ballots, place them in the envelope supplied for the purpose, seal the envelope and indicate on it the number of spoiled ballots contained in it; (d) count the unused ballots and the number of electors who have voted at the advance polling station and place the unused ballots and a copy of the record of votes cast at the advance polling station in the envelope supplied for the purpose, seal the envelope with the seal provided by the Chief Electoral Officer and indicate on it the number of unused ballots contained in it and the number of electors who have voted; and (e) place the envelopes referred to in paragraphs (b) to (d) in the ballot box after the signatures have been made as described in subsection (3), and seal the ballot box. Affixing of signatures (3) The deputy returning officer and poll clerk shall place their signatures on the seals affixed to the envelopes referred to in paragraphs (2)(b) to (d). The agents of registered referendum committees or witnesses who are present may also place their signatures on the seals. Re-opening of advance poll (4) At the re-opening of the advance polling station at noon on the second and third days of voting, the deputy returning officer shall, in full view of the agents of registered referendum committees or witnesses who are present, (a) unseal and open the ballot box, leaving in it the sealed envelopes containing the spoiled ballots and the ballots cast on the previous day or days of voting; (b) take out and open the envelope that contains the unused ballots and the record of votes cast at the advance polling station; and (c) seal the ballot box, place it on the table in full view of all present and keep it there until the close of the advance polling station on that day. Custody of ballot box (5) In the intervals between voting hours at the advance polling station and until the counting of the ballots on polling day, the deputy returning officer shall keep the sealed ballot box in his or her custody. Agents or witnesses may check seals (6) When an advance polling station closes on each of the three days of the vote, the agents of registered referendum committees or witnesses may take note of the serial number of the seal on the ballot box, and may again take note of the serial number when the advance polling station is re-opened on each of the three days of voting and when the votes are counted on polling day.