Chapter 6. Election Day, Before the Polls Open

6.C. Examine the Ballot Box/Tabulator

Examining the Ballot Box/Tabulator is the poll watcher's primary duty before the polls open.

Examining the Ballot Box/Tabulator and the Voting Machines are the only actions that Election Judges are specifically required by law to complete before the polls open.

There are distinct steps to examining each Ballot Box/Tabulator:

  1. Check That the Seal on the Tabulator Is Intact
  2. Check That the Ballot Box is Empty
  3. Check That the Auxiliary Ballot Box of the Tabulator Is Empty
  4. An Election Judge Runs the Tabulator Zero Tape
  5. Observe Election Judges Signing the Zero Tape
  6. Check the Counter of the Tabulator Is Set to Zero
  7. Lock the Ballot Box/Tabulator
  8. Confirm Ballot Box/Tabulator Is On Public View
looking What the Poll Watcher Is Looking For.

Each step is important.

Any tabulator that fails any of the above steps should be taken out of service and replaced before the polls open.

The Election Judge will contact the Election Authority for a replacement tabulator.

If any step is skipped or fails, the poll watcher should immediately challenge, record the challenge, and contact the poll watching team.

Even when an Election Judge immediately resolves the challenge by contacting the Election Authority for a replacement tabulator, the poll watcher must challenge, record the challenge, and notify the poll watching team.

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