Before opening the polls each ballot box shall be carefully examined by the members of the precinct election board and everything in each ballot box shall be removed. Each ballot box shall then be sealed and may not be opened during the election except for vote counting as provided for in chapter 12-20.

Source: SDC 1939, § 16.1011; SL 1976, ch 105, § 53; SL 1993, ch 118, § 16; SL 1999, ch 69, § 26.