Upon receipt of the certified abstract of votes from the county auditors as provided in section 16.1-15-25, the secretary of state shall record the result of the election by counties and shall file and carefully preserve the certified abstracts received from the county auditors. If no certified abstract is received by the secretary of state from the county auditor of any county prior to the time specified for the meeting of the state canvassing board, the secretary of state shall dispatch a special messenger to obtain the abstract at the expense of the county. Upon demand, the county auditor shall make and deliver the required abstract to the special messenger who shall deliver it to the secretary of state to be recorded and filed as provided in this section. The messenger shall receive the same mileage expense as other state officers and employees. The state treasurer shall present a bill for the amount audited against the county failing to send returns as provided in this section, and the bill must be audited by the board of county commissioners of the county and paid by the county treasurer to the state treasurer.