293.363 - Preparation by counting board to count paper ballots. - Nevada Statutes

293.363  Preparation by counting board to count paper ballots.  When the polls are closed, the counting board shall prepare to count the ballots voted. The counting procedure must be public and continue without adjournment until completed. If the ballots are paper ballots, the counting board shall prepare in the following manner:

      1.  The container that holds the ballots or the ballot box must be opened and the ballots contained therein counted by the counting board and opened far enough to ascertain whether each ballot is single. If two or more ballots are found folded together to present the appearance of a single ballot, they must be laid aside until the count of the ballots is completed. If a majority of the inspectors are of the opinion that the ballots folded together were voted by one person, the ballots must be rejected and placed in an envelope, upon which must be written the reason for their rejection. The envelope must be signed by the counting board officers and placed in the container or ballot box after the count is completed.

      2.  If the ballots in the container or box are found to exceed in number the number of names as are indicated on the roster as having voted, the ballots must be replaced in the container or box, and a counting board officer, with his or her back turned to the container or box, shall draw out a number of ballots equal to the excess. The excess ballots must be marked on the back thereof with the words “Excess ballots not counted.” The ballots when so marked must be immediately sealed in an envelope and returned to the county clerk with the other ballots rejected for any cause.

      3.  When it has been ascertained that the number of ballots agrees with the number of names of registered voters shown to have voted, the board shall proceed to count. If there is a discrepancy between the number of ballots and the number of voters, a record of the discrepancy must be made.

      (Added to NRS by 1960, 259; A 1961, 290; 1985, 1596; 1987, 346; 1995, 2781; 1997, 3461; 2001, 2029; 2007, 1161, 2596)