Code of Massachusetts Regulations › 950 CMR - OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY OF THE COMMONWEALTH › Title 950 CMR 54.00 - Voting And Counting Procedures For Electronic Voting Systems › Section 54.05 - After the Polls Close: Punch-card Ballots

Current through Register 1525, July 5, 2024
(1)
Public May Observe Counting
. The general public must
			 be allowed inside the polling place after the polls close. The public must
			 observe from outside the guard rail. Only election officers may handle ballots.
			 All ballots cast must be kept in full view of the public while the processing
			 of cards and envelopes is going on and until they are sealed in the boxes
			 provided.
(2)
The Clerk
			 Shall Record Final Ballot Box Register Number in Election Record
.
(3)
Take Count of
			 Voters on Both Voting Lists
. The election officers in charge of
			 each of the two voting lists shall count audibly and distinctly the number of
			 names checked and shall announce the total numbers. The clerk shall record the
			 numbers.
(4)
Seal
			 Checked Voting Lists in Envelopes
. After tallying the voting list,
			 an election officer shall place the tallied voting list in the envelope
			 provided for that purpose. The election officer shall seal the envelope. This
			 envelope shall be kept separately. The warden and clerk shall sign the
			 certificate.
(4A)
Escrow ballot envelope
. Two election officers shall
			 count the number of escrow ballots contained in the escrow ballot envelope, and
			 write this number on the outside of the envelope. They shall not count the
			 votes on any escrow ballots. They shall then seal the escrow ballot
			 envelope.
(5)
Count the
			 Unused and Spoiled Ballot Cards
. An election officer shall
			 announce the total number of unused ballot cards. The total of used and unused
			 and spoiled ballot cards should equal the total number of ballot cards
			 received.
(6)
Open
			 Ballot Box and Remove Ballots
. The warden shall unlock the ballot
			 box with a key received from the police officer. The warden shall remove all
			 cast ballots in the presence of other election officers.
(7)
Separate and Check Punch-card
			 Ballots.
Two election officers, of opposite parties, shall examine
			 each ballot card and envelope. If there is no write-in vote on the envelope,
			 they shall separate each card from its envelope. If there is a write-in, they
			 shall keep the card inside the envelope and put it aside. If there has been a
			 challenged ballot, they shall check to see that matching numbers have been
			 written on both the card and envelope before separating them. Ballot cards
			 which appear to be damaged or improperly punched shall be put aside to be hand
			 counted. If any kind of written mark appears on an envelope, whether it be
			 valid or not, election officers shall not remove the card but shall place it
			 back in its envelope and put it in a separate pile for further examination by
			 the warden and precinct clerk.
(8)
Invalidating Marks
. No ballot shall be counted which
			 contains any mark clearly designed to let election officers know that a certain
			 person voted in a certain way. If a voter writes his name or marks his ballot
			 with the letters of his name, these are distinguishing marks which identify a
			 voter.
(9)
Prepare Four
			 Separate Groups of Ballot Materials
. There shall be four separate
			 stacks of:
(a) voted ballot cards
(b) unused write-in envelopes
(c) used write-in envelopes with the ballot
			 card still inside.
(d) damaged and
			 improperly-punched ballot cards.