2013 Rhode Island General Laws
Title 17 - Elections
Chapter 17-19 - Conduct of Election and Voting Equipment, and Supplies
Section 17-19-33 - Sealing of voting equipment – Sealing and forwarding of results, programmed memory cartridges and keys.

§ 17-19-33 Sealing of voting equipment – Sealing and forwarding of results, programmed memory cartridges and keys. – (a) The four (4) copies of the printout tape from the optical scan precinct count unit obtained pursuant to § 17-19-32 shall be distributed as follows:

(1) The first copy, which includes the opening of the polling place information, signatures of the warden and clerk, a timed audit trail of certain events occurring with respect to the optical scan precinct count system and the vote totals for each candidate, shall be attached to the return sheet as provided in § 17-19-11 and immediately delivered to the indicated site as determined by the state board of elections where it is processed and delivered to the state board of elections by 4:00 p.m. the day following the election;

(2) The second copy shall be posted at the polling place;

(3) The third copy shall be immediately delivered to the local board of canvassers attached to the return sheet as provided in § 17-19-11, together with the polling place supplies, including the key to the optical scan precinct count unit; and

(4) The fourth copy shall be included with the voted ballots and packaged pursuant to this chapter.

(5) The certified voter list containing voters' signatures shall be packaged separately and returned to the local board of canvassers.

(6) All completed official affidavits, forms, reports and supplies shall be packaged and delivered to the local board for subsequent delivery to the state board.

(b) The warden shall:

(1) Remove all voted ballots from the second compartment of the optical scan precinct count unit and package them in the container provided and labeled as regularly voted ballots and stored pursuant to § 17-19-39.1;

(2) Remove all voted ballots from the first compartment and package them in the container provided and labeled as containing write-in votes; and

(3) Package all ballots from the emergency bin that have not been counted in the container provided and labeled as uncounted ballots, and delivered to the local canvassing authority. Any ballots packaged and labeled as uncounted ballots shall remain sealed and delivered to the state board by 4:00 p.m. the following day for counting.

(c) All ballots so packaged shall be immediately delivered to the local canvassing authority and the local board shall be in session for the counting of any write-in votes. Forthwith upon completion of the counting of all write-in votes the local canvassing authority shall place said ballots in an appropriately labeled container which shall remain in storage pursuant to the requirements of § 17-19-39.1.

(d) All marking pens, unused printout tapes, secrecy sleeves and other items related to the voting equipment shall be packaged and delivered to the local board for later delivery to the office of the state board of elections.

History of Section.
(P.L. 1935, ch. 2195, § 18; P.L. 1938, ch. 2640, § 2; G.L. 1938, ch. 318, § 14; P.L. 1940, ch. 818, § 1; P.L. 1944, ch. 1525, § 1; G.L. 1956, § 17-19-29; G.L. 1956, § 17-19-33; P.L. 1958, ch. 18, § 1; P.L. 1996, ch. 277, § 12; P.L. 1996, ch. 298, § 12; P.L. 2004, ch. 128, § 1; P.L. 2004, ch. 494, § 1; P.L. 2006, ch. 192, § 1; P.L. 2006, ch. 313, § 1.)