Table Of Content2016 General Election
Judge Manual
Cathy Jenkins,
Vermilion County Clerk
Table of Contents
Election Judge Responsibilities & Electioneering/Campaign Free Zone ………………….… Page 1
People Allowed in the Polling Place……………………………………………………………………….…….Page 2
Things to do BEFORE the Polls Open…………………………………………………………………………….Page 3
Procedures During Voting Hours………………………………………………………………………….………Page 3
Spoiled ballot procedure – see #4 under Station 3….…………………………………………………..Page 5
What to do if a ballot is rejected by the OS………………………………………………………………Page 5-6
Procedures After the Polls Close…………………………………………………………………………………….Page 6
Pollwatchers…………………………………………………………………………………………………….…….Page 10-12
Who May Vote…………………….………………………………………………………………………………………Page 12
Voters Requiring Affidavits………………………………………………………………………………………….Page 13
Provisional Voting Procedures…………………………………………………………………………………….Page 14
Grace Period Registration & Voting……..……………………………………………………………………..Page 15
Who May NOT Vote/Challenging A Voter……………..…………………………………………………..…Page 16
Instruction & Assistance……………………………………………………………………………………………….Page 17
Curb Side Voting…………………………………………………………………………………………………………..Page 18
Write-In Votes………………………………………………………………………………………………………………Page 19
Remaking Ballots…………………………………………………… …………………………………………………..Page 19
TSX Instructions for Programming Card for Voting……………………………………………………..Page 21
Sample of Official Ballot Record………………………………………………………………………………….Page 22
Closing the Polls – TSX…………………………………………………………………………………………………Page 23
Election Judge Responsibilities
All election judges have equal authority and responsibility in upholding the law. There is no “head” judge. The judges
act as a board in making decisions and the majority rules. However, each judge may act alone to enforce election laws.
Once an individual is selected to serve as an election judge, that person is obligated to serve at each election during the
two-year period. If an emergency arises that prevents a judge from serving, the judge must notify our office as soon as
possible.
If a judge fails to appear at the polls, the tech judge should contact an alternate on their election judge listing. If there
are no alternates listed, the tech judge should then contact our office for a replacement. If we cannot provide a
replacement, the judges present may appoint a replacement judge. The replacement judge cannot be appointed until
AFTER 6:15am. The replacement must be a registered voter who has the same political affiliation as the judge being
replaced. A precinct committeeman or a candidate cannot serve as an election judge. One of the regular judges shall
administer the oath to the replacement judge.
Illinois law requires that the polls be open from 6am until 7pm. Once the polls are open there is to be NO adjournment
or recess until all forms are completed and the ballots have been delivered to the annex. All judges should arrive at the
polls no later than 5:15am to set up the polling place. When the polls are open, one judge at a time may leave the
polling place for a very brief period, but only when absolutely necessary. After the polls are closed, all five judges must
remain until all forms, certificates, and affidavits are completed and signed, and all election materials are packaged for
return to the annex.
Each judge should learn the various duties associated with each position by rotating among the positions during the day.
Rotating duties helps prevent errors and also helps prohibit certain types of fraudulent activity. When rotating duties,
two judges, one from each political party, must be at the signature verification records at all times to verify each voter’s
signature and address.
The duties of instruction shall be discharged by a judge from each of the political parties represented. Parties shall
alternate serving as instructor so that each party shall serve an equal amount of time giving instruction during the day.
Electioneering/Campaign Free Zone
Electioneering is defined as working in support of, against or in opposition to, or in the interest of a candidate, party, or
proposition. Electioneering is not allowed in the polling place or within the campaign free zone of the polling place. No
one within the restricted area is permitted to engage in electioneering actions, such as wearing a campaign button,
displaying political literature, or engaging in any political discussion. The campaign free zone is the area in which no
advertising pertaining to any candidate or proposition to be voted upon shall be displayed. The zone is comprised of the
polling room and the distance within 100 horizontal feet of the entrance to any such room. Election offices shall place
two or more cones, small US national flags, or some other marker a distance of 100 horizontal feet from each entrance
to the room used by voters to engage in voting, which shall be known as the polling room.
If the polling room is located within a private business, school, or church building and the distance of 100 horizontal feet
ends within the interior of the building, then the markers shall be placed outside of the building at each entrance used
by voters to enter that building. A church or a private school may choose to apply the campaign free zone to its entire
property, and, if so, the markers shall be placed near the boundaries on the grounds adjacent to the walkways leading
to the entrances used by the voters.
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People in the Polling Place
Illinois election law requires that only authorized individuals be allowed in the polling place: election judges, qualified
pollwatchers, voters while voting, representatives of our office, the State Board of Elections, the Attorney General’s
Office, the State’s Attorney’s Office, and local, state, and federal law enforcement officials acting in their official
capacities. Pollwatchers must have proper credentials issued by our office or the Illinois State Board of Elections.
Election judges have the authority to evict any person who is creating a disturbance. All serious problems should be
reported to our office.
PROCEDURES BEFORE THE POLLS OPEN
1. CHECK AND ORGANIZE SUPPLIES. If anything is missing, call the office. Your polling place should already be set up.
You should have all paperwork necessary to run your day in your “Election Judge Binder”. All closing materials are
located in the small purple bag. Please leave this paperwork in the purple bag until the end of the day. This paperwork
will return to the annex inside the small purple bag at the end of the night.
• Station One (Application Judge) should have the applications to vote, ink pens, demonstration
ballots, dry erase markers for demonstration, your lists of vote by mail, early, and grace period
voters, and your “start here” sign.
• Station Two (Verification Judges – one from each political party) should have poll books, pens
for marking voting record, the judges binder comprising of the affidavits.
• Station Three (Ballot Distribution Judge) should have ballots, encoder & cards, ballot cover
sheets, provisional ballot materials, pens for initialing ballots, spindles for ballot applications,
and spoiled ballot envelopes.
• Station Four (Ballot Box Judge) should have the tabulator and ballot box.
2. ADMINISTER JUDGES OATH AND PUT ON NAME BADGES. Print the following information on each badge: the judge’s
name, township and precinct number, and the date of the election.
3. MAKE SURE VOTERS HAVE ENOUGH PENS IN THE VOTING BOOTHS.
4. CHECK BALLOTS; Determine Different Ballot Styles – Check the ballots to make sure the precinct designation and the
dates are correct. Also check your Certificate of Inspection against your inventory to make sure you have every ballot
style. DO NOT OPEN SEALED PACKAGES OF BALLOTS UNTIL THEY ARE NEEDED. YOU DO NOT START WITH THE
PACKAGE THAT HAS THE SMALLEST AMOUNT IN THEM!!!! PLEASE PAY ATTENTION TO THE BALLOT STYLES ON THE
TOP OF THE BALLOTS AND ON THE APPLICATIONS – THEY SHOULD MATCH!!!!!!!!!!
5. SIGN YOUR CERTIFICATE OF INSPECTION AND YOUR ZERO TAPE. Turn both machines on and the zero tape will
automatically start printing. Verify the machine displays still read “0” and sign your tape on BOTH MACHINES – the TSX
AND the OS. Put the Certificate of Inspection in your small purple closing bag so you have it ready when you close.
6. RECORD THE NUMBER OF BALLOTS OF EACH STYLE ON THE “OFFICIAL BALLOT RECORD” IN YOUR SMALL PURPLE
BAG. Put it back in the small purple bag for after the polls close.
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7. VERIFY THAT THE BALLOT BOX AND THE AUXILIARY BIN ARE BOTH EMPTY.
8. DECLARE THE POLLS ARE OPEN.
PROCEDURES DURING VOTING HOURS
Please make note that if you have a voter who needs to make any changes to their registration, they need to be referred
to our office or they may be a provisional voter.
Station 1: (Application Judge)
1. Ask the voter to state his or her name and address, then give the application to the voter. ALL VOTERS
INCLUDING PROVISIONAL VOTERS MUST COMPLETE AN APPLICATION TO VOTE. PLEASE NOTE THAT IF A VOTER
HAS ANY CHANGES TO THEIR REGISTRATION OR A CHALLENGE IS UPHELD, THEY MUST COME TO OUR OFFICE TO
UPDATE THEIR REGISTRATION AND VOTE. IF THEY REFUSE THE OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE THEIR CHANGES IN OUR
OFFICE, THEY WILL BE ELIGIBLE TO RECEIVE A PROVISIONAL BALLOT.
2. CHECK THAT THE VOTER WAS NOT ISSUED A VOTE BY MAIL, EARLY, OR GRACE PERIOD BALLOT. A person whose
name is on this list shall not be permitted to vote in the precinct, except a voter to whom a vote by mail ballot
was issued may vote in the precinct if the voter submits to the election judges that vote by mail ballot for
cancellation. If the voter is unable to submit the vote by mail ballot, it shall be sufficient for the voter to submit
to the election judges a portion of the vote by mail ballot if the vote by mail ballot was torn or mutilated or an
affidavit executed before the judges specifying that A. the voter never received a vote by mail ballot or B. the
voter completed and returned a vote by mail ballot and was informed that our office didn’t receive that vote by
mail ballot. Voters on the list as having voted early, yet claim that they did not so vote, may vote a provisional
ballot.
3. PROVIDING ID AT THE POLLING PLACE FOR MAIL IN REGISTRATIONS. A voter who applied for registration by
mail and didn’t provide our office with sufficient proof of identity will be required to provide judges with
submission of the person’s driver’s license number or state identification card number or, if the person does not
have either of those, the last four digits of the person’s social security number, a copy of a current and valid
photo identification, or a copy of a current utility bill, bank statement, paycheck, government check, or other
federal, state, or local government document that shows the person’s name and address. If the voter fails to
present identification at the polling place, they may be eligible to vote a provisional ballot.
4. HAVE THE VOTER COMPLETE THE APPLICATION. The voter needs to sign their name and verify the information
on the application. If a birthdate is 01/01/1800, this means we do not have a current birthdate on file for this
voter. Please have the voter cross out that date and add their birthdate to the application at this time. If a voter
requests assistance in voting, the judge will need to have the voter AND the person giving assistance fill out a
coral colored “VOTER AFFIDAVIT” before the voter is allowed to vote.
5. ANNOUNCE THE VOTERS NAME AND ADDRESS IN A LOUD, CLEAR VOICE.
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6. OFFER INSTRUCTION TO EACH VOTER. Instruction is given in such a manner that it may be observed by others in
the polling place. If the ballot has questions/candidates on both sides, this must be shown to the voter.
7. PASS THE APPLICATION TO THE JUDGES CHECKING THE SIGNATURE VERIFICATION RECORD.
Station 2: (Verification Judges – One of Each Party)
1. LOCATE THE SIGNATURE VERIFICATION RECORD FOR THE VOTER IN THE POLL BINDER.
2. COMPARE SIGNATURE AND ADDRESS.
3. MARK THE RECORD TO SHOW THE VOTER IS VOTING IN THIS ELECTION. After establishing that the signature
and address match and that the person was not issued a vote by mail ballot, a grace period ballot, or an early
voting ballot, the verification judges check that the person has not voted earlier in the day. If the person has not
already voted, one of the verification judges marks the voter’s record to show that the voter is voting in this
election. Obviously, if the voter has already voted, he or she cannot be allowed to vote again.
4. INDICATE BALLOT STYLE ON APPLICATION, IF NOT ALREADY PRINTED. 99.9% of the time, the ballot style will be
printed on the application. If you have to write a manual application, you will need to use the “Ballot
Distribution Chart” to determine what ballot style the voter should receive based on the code we gave you when
you called the office. If you cannot determine which ballot style the voter should receive, call our office BEFORE
ISSUING THE BALLOT! IT IS IMPORTANT EACH VOTER RECEIVES THE CORRECT BALLOT STYLE! DO NOT ISSUE A
FEDERAL BALLOT (F15) PRIOR TO CALLING OUR OFFICE!!! THESE BALLOTS ARE USED FOR SPECIAL
CIRCUMSTANCES!!! VERIFY THE BALLOT STYLE ON THE APPLICATION AND ON THE BALLOT MATCH!!!!!
5. INITIAL THE APPLICATION AND RETURN IT TO THE VOTER. One of the verification judges must initial the voter’s
application and return it to the voter. The voter’s application should only be initialed after it is determined that
the voter is qualified to vote and that the ballot style code is on the application.
Station 3: (Ballot Distribution Judge)
IF THE VOTER IS TO BE ISSUED A PROVISIONAL BALLOT, PLEASE REFER TO PROVISIONAL VOTING ON PAGE 13.
1. CHECK THE APPLICATION FOR INITIALS AND BALLOT STYLE; NUMBER APPLICATION AND PLACE IT ON THE
CORRECT SPINDLE. Beginning with number “1” the ballot applications are numbered consecutively and spindled
in numerical order. You can spindle all ballot styles on the same spindle UNLESS it is an F15 – Federal Ballot.
Those are spindled separately.
2. DETERMINE THE CORRECT BALLOT TO GIVE TO VOTER. Using the information contained on the voter’s
application, determine the correct ballot to give to the voter. If you have more than one ballot style, be sure
to give the CORRECT ballot to each voter. If uncertain as to what ballot style to give a voter, provisional or
otherwise, contact our office!!! DO NOT ISSUE A FEDERAL BALLOT (F15) PRIOR TO CALLING OUR OFFICE!!!
THESE BALLOTS ARE USED FOR SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES!!! VERIFY THE BALLOT STYLE ON THE APPLICATION
AND ON THE BALLOT MATCH!!!!! You need to confirm with the voter if they’d like to receive a ballot for the
touchscreen or a paper ballot.
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3. INITIAL BALLOT. (If the voter prefers a paper ballot) After spindling the voter’s application, initial the
appropriate ballot in the space provided on the ballot. DO NOT PRE-INITIAL BALLOTS! Check the ballot for
marks or smudges as these may cause unintentional votes. Please make sure you’ve initialed the ballot – if a
recount occurs, an un-initialed ballot WILL NOT COUNT. Your initials validate that ballot.
4. HAND THE BALLOT OR CARD (FOR TSX) AND BALLOT PRIVACY COVER TO THE VOTER AND DIRECT THE VOTER TO
A VOTING BOOTH OR TO THE TSX MACHINE. Before giving the ballot to the voter, show the voter how to place
the ballot privacy cover over the ballot so you can still see ONLY the initials because when the voter goes to see
the tabulator judge, that judge will need to verify the ballot is initialed. Do not initial the privacy cover, since it
can be reused. If for any reason a voter spoils his or her ballot, the voter may return it to the ballot
distribution judge to get another ballot. Give the voter an individual spoiled ballot envelope and have the voter
write the word “spoiled” in ink diagonally across the entire face of the bad ballot, put the ballot in the spoiled
ballot envelope, and return the entire SEALED envelope to the election judge. The judge will mark the “spoiled
ballot” square on the voter’s application and give the voter another ballot of the same ballot style. For TSX
ballot card, see Page 21 for step by step instructions.
Station #4: (Ballot Box/Tabulator Judge)
1. MAKE SURE NO ONE INTERFERES WITH THE VOTER. Make sure the voting booth is clear of campaign literature
and that no one interferes with the voter. If no other voters are waiting to vote, the voter may remain in the
booth ten minutes. If other voters are waiting, the voter may remain in the booth for only five minutes.
2. DEPOSITING THE PAPER BALLOT INTO THE TABULATOR. The judge is to NEVER TOUCH A VOTER’S VOTED
BALLOT!! While still in the voting booth, the voter inserts the ballot under the privacy cover so that the judge’s
initials are visible. Before the ballot is deposited into the tabulator, the ballot box judge checks the ballot for
the initials of the ballot distribution judge. If the initials are visible, the voter inserts the ballot into the entry slot
of the tabulator. IF a ballot is not initialed, it must NOT be deposited! The un-initialed ballot is folded and
treated as a spoiled ballot. THIS ALL MUST BE DONE IN SUCH A WAY THAT THE SECRECY OF EACH VOTER’S
BALLOT IS PRESERVED!
THE AUXILIARY COMPARTMENT – When the tabulator becomes inoperable, contact our office for assistance,
and in the meantime, you will use this compartment. Voting can continue even if the tabulator isn’t operating.
When the tabulator is not operating, the ballots are placed in the auxiliary bin. Any ballots placed in the bin will
be tabulated AFTER the polls close.
Please note that provisional ballots are NOT to be deposited into the tabulator, but are to be inserted into
their designated envelopes.
3. BALLOTS RETURNED BY TABULATOR AND OTHER PROBLEMS. Occasionally, a ballot may not be accepted by the
tabulator. This can happen when a voter over-votes, under-votes, or when the tabulator cannot read the ballot.
Generally, whenever a ballot cannot be fed into the tabulator, the tabulator will indicate the reason on the
display. The procedure to follow for a returned ballot is as follows:
a. Ask the voter to remain at the tabulator
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b. Have the voter remove the ballot and try to re-insert the ballot again. If the ballot is returned again, ask
the voter to place the ballot under the privacy cover.
c. Have the voter read the message that is on the display. Be prepared to offer guidance to the voter
concerning the message. THIS SHOULD BE DONE IN A DISCREET MANNER. ONLY THE JUDGE(S) AND THE
VOTER SHOULD KNOW WHY THE BALLOT WAS RETURNED.
d. The judge must NOT look at the voted ballot.
After the printed message identifies the problem with the ballot, choose one of the following options for
correcting it:
a. Attempt to insert the ballot into the entry slow again, or
b. Ask the voter to vote on another ballot and treat the returned ballot as a spoiled ballot, or
c. Press and hold the “yes” button down while inserting the ballot into the tabulator. This overrides, and it
should ONLY be used in these situations:
1. When the voter insists that the returned ballot be counted AS IS or;
2. If the voter is no longer in the polling place (i.e. when ballots from the auxiliary bin are
processed after the polls are closed)
d. If the ballot is rejected for an under-vote or over-vote, the voter may return to the voting booth and
complete the voting of the ballot or decide to cast the ballot as-is. If the voter decides to cast the ballot
as-is, you will have to hold the “yes” button while inserting the ballot for the tabulator to accept the
ballot.
4. AT 6:30PM ANNOUNCE: “THE POLLS WILL CLOSE IN ONE-HALF HOUR”.
5. AT 7PM, CLOSE THE POLLING PLACE.
PROCEDURES AFTER THE POLLS CLOSE
1. REMOVE THE POLLING PLACE SIGN; LOCK THE DOOR. Immediately after announcing the polls are closed, remove the
“Polling Place” sign, then close and lock the door. Please store your “Polling Place” sign and your laminated sign in your
ballot box for the next election.
2. ALLOW ONLY AUTHORIZED PERSONS TO REMAIN IN THE POLLS. After the last vote has been cast, only the following
people are allowed to remain in the polling place:
a. Election judges assigned to the polling place
b. Law enforcement officers acting in their official capacities
c. Authorized pollwatchers upon submission of valid credentials
d. Representatives of our office
e. Representatives of the State Board of Elections
f. Representatives of the office of the State’s Attorney and the Attorney General’s office
3. CHECK AUXILIARY/EMERGENCY BIN. If there are ballots in the bin, insert the ballots into the tabulator.
4. COUNT THE NUMBER OF SPOILED BALLOTS AND RECORD ON YOUR MASTER SPOILED BALLOT ENVELOPE. Put each
voter’s individual spoiled ballot envelope into the big envelope. Each judge then signs his or her name across the sealed
flap in such a way that if the flap is opened, the signatures will be disturbed.
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5. COMPARE NUMBER OF BALLOTS TO THE NUMBER OF SIGNED APPLICATIONS AND RECORD ON THE “OFFICIAL BALLOT
RECORD” FORM. Count the ballots for each machine and record these numbers on your Official Ballot Record. Count
the number of provisional ballot envelopes that have been kept in a separate securable envelope and record these
numbers on the Official Ballot Record form. The number of ballots cast (regular and provisional) and the number of
signed applications must be the same. Record these numbers on the “Official Ballot Record” form. If the numbers are
not the same, count the ballots again. If the numbers are still not the same, make sure the applications are numbered
correctly. If your counts are still off, call our office.
6. CHECK BALLOTS FOR JUDGE’S INITIALS AND ANY IDENTIFYING MARKS.
7. CLOSE OUT YOUR TSX MACHINE. The first precinct (numerically & alphabetically) in the polling place will have the
envelope, supervisor card, and case inside their small purple bag, and this precinct is in charge of bringing the TSX card,
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results tapes, and canisters to closing on the 2 floor!!!! To shut down your TSX, insert your supervisor card until it
clicks. It looks like this:
It will prompt you to enter a code. You’ll use “111111.” Touch the End Voting button. When it asks if you wish to
proceed, you will hit “yes.” You will print the write-in candidates, but not the long report. Please have 2 judges of each
party sign the results tape and the canister:
Print 3 copies of the results tape. One copy can go in the canister and send 2 copies with the memory card in the small
purple bag. See instructions for memory card removal in number 18.
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8. CHECK BALLOTS AND TSX RESULTS TAPE FOR VALID WRITE-IN VOTES. Check each paper ballot for write-in votes.
Write-in votes will appear in the spaces provided under each office listed on the ballot. The write-in is ONLY VALID IF
the name written on the line is the name of a candidate who has filed a “Declaration of Intent to be a Write-In
Candidate” for THAT OFFICE. A listing of those names has been provided in your election judge binder. There also has
to be a VALID MARK in the designated area. Check your write-ins on your results tape from your TSX and note write-ins
from both machines on the write-in tally sheet. There will be a write in tally sheet for EACH MACHINE! Each precinct is
responsible for their OS tally sheet as before. Again, the first precinct (alphabetically & numerically) is responsible for
the tally sheet for the TSX. Please fill out the tally sheet for the machine using the results tape from that machine!
9. CHECK INVALID WRITE-IN VOTES FOR OVERVOTES. An invalid write-in is the name of a candidate whose name does
NOT appear on the list of declared write-in candidates provided by our office. If the write-in is invalid, check the ballot
to determine if the office where the write-in occurs has been over-voted. To determine an over-vote, use the ballot to
determine the number of votes allowable for the office in question, count the number of votes for that office (if the
total number of votes cast and the write-in is more than the number of votes allowed, the office has been over-voted),
or if an invalid write-in vote has created an over-vote, a duplicate ballot must be made omitting the write-in vote. Two
judges, one from each political party, make a duplicate ballot sheet following the steps in “Remaking Ballots” on page.
Contact our office for re-tabulation.
10. COMPLETE THE WRITE-IN TALLY SHEET. All valid write-in votes are recorded on tally sheet. If there are no write-ins,
write “NONE” across the tally sheets before signing. All judges must sign the tally sheet. Place the back copy in the bag
with the voted ballots, and the two remaining copies are placed in the small purple bag. Please don’t forget the tally
sheets for the TSX machines!
11. RETABULATE ALL BALLOTS, IF NECESSARY. Contact our office if re-tabulation is necessary.
12. DETERMINE THE NUMBER OF UNUSED BALLOTS FOR EACH BALLOT STYLE.
13. PLACE UNUSED BALLOTS IN THE ORIGINAL BALLOT BAG. These will be brought to the back door of the annex.
14. COUNT THE VALID VOTED BALLOTS; RECORD THESE NUMBERS ON THE OFFICIAL BALLOT RECORD. Record the seal
number for the clear bag on the Official Ballot Record. Deposit all voted ballots in the clear bag provided.
15. COMPLETE AND SIGN YOUR OFFICIAL BALLOT RECORD. You will deposit all voted ballots, one copy of the write in
tally sheet, one copy of the results tape, and one copy of the official ballot record in the clear bag. Seal the bag with the
seal matching the number you wrote on your Official Ballot Record. Your other 2 copies of the Official Ballot Record will
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go back in the purple bag to the 2 floor of the annex.
16. SIGN AND SEAL ALL ENVELOPES, SEALS, AND 3 PRINTED RESULTS TAPES AS NEEDED/NECESSARY. One tape will be
sealed in the bag with the voted ballots, and two tapes will come back in your small purple bag. All signed TSX tapes
and canisters will come back with the first precinct (alphabetically & numerically) in the polling place.
17. CAREFULLY BREAK THE SEAL ON THE ACCUVOTE AND REMOVE THE MEMORY CARD. DO NOT TOUCH THE TEETH
ON THE ACCUVOTE MEMORY CARD – THIS WILL RESULT IN YOU HAVING TO RETABULATE YOUR ENTIRE ELECTION!!!
Place the memory card in the gold envelope and tape it shut. Put the seal and the gold envelope in the small purple bag.
DO NOT PUT THE SEAL IN THE GOLD ENVELOPE WITH THE CARD! THIS COULD WIPE THE ELECTION!
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