29A.44.310 - Initialization. - Washington Statutes

Initialization.

In precincts where poll-site ballot counting devices are used the election officers, before initializing the device for voting, shall proceed as follows:

     (1) They shall see that the device is placed where it can be conveniently attended by the election officers and conveniently operated by the voters;

     (2) They shall see whether the number or other designating mark on the device's seal agrees with the control number provided by the elections department. If they do not agree they shall at once notify the elections department and delay initializing the device. The polls may be opened pending reexamination of the device;

     (3) If the numbers do agree, they shall proceed to initialize the device and see whether the public counter registers "000." If the counter is found to register a number other than "000," one of the judges shall at once set the counter at "000" and confirm that the ballot box is empty;

     (4) Before processing any ballots through a poll-site ballot counting device a zero report must be produced. The inspector and at least one of the judges shall carefully verify that zero ballots have been run through the poll-site ballot counting device and that all vote totals for each office are zero. If the totals are not zero, the inspector shall either reset the device to zero or contact the elections department to reset the device and allow voting to continue using the auxiliary or emergency device.

[2003 c 111 § 1129. Prior: 1999 c 158 § 6; 1965 c 9 §29.48.080 ; prior: 1957 c 195 § 7; prior: 1913 c 58 § 12, part; RRS § 5312, part. Formerly RCW 29.48.080.]