The district election officers shall, as soon as the count is completed and fully ascertained, as by this subtitle required, lock the counter compartment and it shall so remain for a period of 15 days, except it be opened by order of a judge of the Superior Court assigned to the county. Within such period and upon written request of any defeated candidate, or in the case where a public question is involved upon petition of any 10 qualified voters of a county or municipality using machines who voted in the election in question, the judge shall, at a cost of $2.00 per district to the candidate or petitioners, order the machines in question opened and the registering counters rechecked against the election officers’ returns. Any candidate or petitioners requesting such recheck, shall deposit with the county clerk, the amount necessary for all the districts requested. The county clerk, if it appears that an error or errors have occurred as a result of which the election is changed or the difference between the negative and affirmative of any public question is altered so as to change the results of the election, shall upon the warrant of such judge of the Superior Court, pay to such candidate or petitioners the cost of such recheck. In the event it shall appear after such recheck that the results of the election remain unchanged, the county clerk shall, upon the warrant of such judge, pay the funds so deposited into the county treasury. Such recheck shall be made under the supervision of the county election officials and in co-operation with the parties at interest or their representatives. When irregular ballots of whatever description have been voted, the district election officers shall return all such ballots in a properly secured package indorsed “irregular ballots” and return and file such package with the municipal clerk at the same time the original statement of the results of the election made by them is filed. Such package shall be preserved for 6 months next succeeding such election, and it shall not be opened or its contents examined during that time except by the order of a judge of a court lawfully empowered to direct the same to be opened and examined. At the end of the 6 months, such packages may be opened and the ballots disposed of at the discretion of the official having charge thereof.

Amended by L.1942, c. 56, p. 293, s. 1; L.1943, c. 80, p. 298, s. 1; L.1953, c. 19, p. 356, s. 59; L.1955, c. 260, p. 950, s. 1.