4.28.085 Counting early ballots.
A. The clerk shall deliver all early ballots to the canvass board for counting as determined by the clerk. The tabulation of early ballots may not begin until the canvass board has identified and segregated ballots voted early by voters who also cast ballots in another manner in the election.
B. Early ballot envelopes shall be reviewed by the canvass board to determine whether the voter is qualified to vote in the election and whether the ballot has been properly cast.
C. An early ballot shall be counted despite failure of the election official to properly sign and date the voter’s certificate as attesting official.
D. An early ballot shall be counted despite the voter’s failure to sign the voter certificate on the early ballot envelope, provided the voter signed the certificate on the early voting register and the canvass board has determined the voter is qualified to vote and the ballot has been properly cast.
1. The certificate the early voter signs on the register shall be the same certificate the voter signed on the early ballot envelope.
E. If the voter is qualified to vote and the ballot has been properly cast, the early ballot envelope shall be opened and the secrecy sleeve shall be mixed with the other secrecy sleeves.
F. The ballots shall then be removed from the secrecy sleeves and mixed with the other ballots for counting.
G. If an early voter is not qualified to vote or the ballot has not been properly cast, the clerk shall notify the voter in writing of the reason the ballot was not counted. The rejected ballot shall be placed in a container which shall be labeled “no count” and shall be preserved and destroyed as provided in WMC 4.28.060. (Ord. 16-15 § 16, 2016; Ord. 12-20 § 45, 2012; Ord. 06-21 § 3, 2006; Ord. 01-16(SUB) § 14, 2001)