13-19-312. Preparation for count and counting procedure. (1) The preparation for counting ballots must be as provided in 13-15-201.

Terms Used In Montana Code 13-19-312

  • Ballot: means the ballot or set of ballots that is to be returned by a specified election day. See Montana Code 13-19-102
  • Election: means a general, special, or primary election held pursuant to the requirements of state law, regardless of the time or purpose. See Montana Code 13-1-101
  • Election administrator: means , except as provided in subsection (14)(b), the county clerk and recorder or the individual designated by a county governing body to be responsible for all election administration duties, except that with regard to school elections not administered by the county, the term means the school district clerk. See Montana Code 13-1-101
  • Process: means a writ or summons issued in the course of judicial proceedings. See Montana Code 1-1-202
  • Secrecy envelope: means an envelope used to contain the elector's ballot and that is designed to conceal the elector's ballot and to prevent that elector's ballot from being distinguished from the ballots of other electors. See Montana Code 13-19-102
  • Voted ballot: means a ballot that is:

    (a)deposited in the ballot box at a polling place;

    (b)received at the election administrator's office; or

    (c)returned to a place of deposit. See Montana Code 13-1-101

(2)Except as provided in subsection (3), after the close of voting on election day, the counting board appointed pursuant to 13-15-112 shall:

(a)open the official ballot boxes;

(b)if the process authorized under 13-13-241(7) was not used, open each secrecy envelope, removing the voted ballot; and

(c)proceed to count the votes as provided in Title 13, chapter 15.

(3)The election administrator may begin the procedures described in subsection (2) no sooner than 1 day before election day if the election administrator complies with the procedures described in 13-15-207(3).