IOWA STATUTES AND CODES
43.45 - CANVASS OF VOTES.
43.45 CANVASS OF VOTES.
1. Upon the closing of the polls the precinct election officials
shall immediately publicly canvass the vote. The canvass shall be
conducted using the procedures established in this section which are
appropriate for the voting system used in the precinct.
2. In precincts where paper ballots are used, precinct election
officials shall do all of the following:
a. Place the ballots of the several political parties in
separate piles.
b. Separately count the ballots of each party, and make the
correct entries thereof on the tally sheets.
c. Certify the number of votes cast upon the ticket of each
political party for each candidate for each office.
d. Place the ballots cast on behalf of each of the parties in
separate envelopes. Seal each envelope and place the signature of
all board members of the precinct across the seal of the envelope so
that it cannot be opened without breaking the seal.
e. On the outside of each envelope enter the number of
ballots cast by each party in the precinct and contained in the
envelope.
f. Seal the tally sheets and certificates of the precinct
election officials in an envelope on the outside of which are written
or printed the names of the several political parties with the names
of the candidates for the different offices under their party name,
and opposite each candidate's name enter the number of votes cast for
such candidate in the precinct.
g. Enter on the envelope the total number of voters of each
party who cast ballots in the precinct.
h. Communicate the results in the manner required by section
50.11, to the commissioner of the county in which the polls are
located, who shall remain on duty until the results are communicated
to the commissioner from each polling place in the county.
3. In precincts where optical scan voting systems are used and
ballots are counted in the precinct, precinct election officials
shall do all of the following:
a. Close and secure the ballot reader to prevent the
insertion of additional ballots.
b. Print the results for the precinct.
c. Open the ballot container. Secure all ballots counted by
the vote-tabulating device. Sort the remaining ballots by party.
Tally all write-in votes and any other ballots not yet counted.
Record the results in the tally list.
d. Put all ballots in an envelope or other package and seal
it. All members of the board shall sign their names across the seal
of the envelope. The seal shall be placed so that the envelope or
package cannot be opened without breaking the seal. Section History: Early Form
[S13, § 1087-a17; C24, 27, 31, 35, 39, § 573; C46, 50, 54, 58,
62, 66, 71, 73, 75, 77, 79, 81, § 43.45] Section History: Recent Form
87 Acts, ch 221, §2; 89 Acts, ch 136, §14; 2002 Acts, ch 1134, §9,
115; 2003 Acts, ch 44, §21, 22; 2007 Acts, ch 190, §15, 16; 2009
Acts, ch 57, §7