115.257. Voting machines to be put in order, procedure to be followed.

Voting machines to be put in order, procedure to be followed.

115.257. 1. In jurisdictions where voting machines areused, the election authority shall cause the voting machines tobe put in order, set, adjusted and made ready for voting beforethey are delivered to polling places. Before delivery to thepolling places, the election authority shall have all recordingcounters, except the protective counter on each voting machineset at zero (000).

2. At least five days before preparing voting machines forany election, notice of the time and place of such preparationshall be mailed to each independent candidate and the chairman ofthe county committee of each established political party named onthe ballot. The preparation shall be watched by two observersdesignated by the election authority, one from each majorpolitical party, and shall be open to representatives of thepolitical parties, candidates, the news media and the public.

3. When a machine has been examined by such observers andshown to be in good working order, the machine shall be lockedagainst voting and sealed in their presence with a numbered metalseal. The observers shall certify the number on each machine,the number on each protective counter, the number on each sealand that each recording counter is set at zero.

4. After a voting machine has been properly prepared, lockedand sealed, its keys shall be retained by the election authorityand delivered to the election judges along with the otherelection supplies.

5. Nothing in this section shall prohibit the on-sitestorage of voting machines and the preparation of the machinesfor voting, provided the voting machines are put in order, set,adjusted and made ready for voting as provided in subsections 1,2, 3 and 4 of this section.

(L. 1977 H.B. 101 § 8.320, A.L. 1978 H.B. 971)