SECTION 230:45-5-11. Preparing to count

(a)   The Secretary shall break the seal on each ballot transfer box from their first precinct to be recounted. In the event that a ballot transfer box from a precinct contains ballots from more than one entity or more than one party in a primary election, the Secretary shall assign each opened ballot transfer box from that precinct to a County Election Board employee or to a Precinct Official to sort and separate the ballots containing the race or question to be recounted. All other ballots shall be replaced inside the ballot transfer box.

(b)   The Secretary shall assign ballots from the first precinct to a team of four Counters. [26:8-114(B)] If only one team of four Counters is used, all the ballots for one precinct shall be recounted before ballots for the next precinct are assigned to the Counters.

(c)   When absentee ballots are being recounted in a candidate race or for a question, the Secretary shall break the seal on the first box of absentee ballots and assign the box to a County Election Board employee or to a Precinct Official to sort the ballots by precinct and by entity or party, if necessary. Ballots containing the race or question being recounted shall be set aside and all other ballots shall be returned to the same ballot transfer box. Under no circumstance shall mail and nursing home absentee ballots be commingled with in-person absentee ballots. All absentee ballots shall be recounted and recorded by source (mail/nursing home and in-person absentee) and by precinct.

(d)   During a recount, the Counters shall record both overvotes and undervotes in the race or question being recounted.

[Source: Amended at 10 Ok Reg 2751, eff 7-1-93; Amended at 11 Ok Reg 321, eff 11-1-93 (emergency); Amended at 11 Ok Reg 1593, eff 6-1-94; Amended at 30 Ok Reg 1722, eff 7-15-13; Amended at 34 Ok Reg 1137, eff 9-11-17]