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ANNEX II
 

1. The counting and evaluation of the votes is done according to the criteria envisaged in article 117 of this Code and is accomplished automatically by the ECS, which separates the votes physically into “evaluated by the ECS” and “contested by the ECS”.


2. The ballot papers “contested by the ECS” are ballots for which the ECS is not able to accurately determine the voter’s intention, which are not read by the ECS because they do not contain the technical elements and form adopted in the normative act of the CEC, or because they are physically damaged. Their evaluation is done by the CEAZ.


3. The CEAZ is notified by the raising of the hand by the ECS staff, without moving from the spot, or, depending on the case, by a member of the CEAZ, after the evaluation of the other ballots of the box by the ECS is completed. The raising of the hand suspends any further action of the ECS staff until the CEAZ examines and evaluates the ballot papers. The image of the ballot is displayed on the screen for evaluation by the CEAZ, as well as for examination by the observers. The evaluation of these votes is done through a decision of the CEAZ.


4. The CEAZ evaluates the votes “contested by the ECS” through the examination of the lectronic image saved in the ECS for each of such votes, as well as the physical examination of the ballots, which have not been read by the ECS, in accordance with point 2 of this Section.


The ECS enables the physical separation of the unread ballots from the other ballots contested by the ECS.


5. The CEAZ, after examining the ballots, decides on their evaluation and orders the inclusion of the evaluation, in accordance with article 117 of the Code, in the relevant columns of the ECS by the technical staff. The evaluation done by the ECS staff is displayed on the screen for the observers of the electoral subjects.


6. The ballots evaluated by the CEAZ are noted digitally in the ECS as “ballot evaluated by the CEAZ” and are saved electronically in a special column. If the evaluation is contested by at least one member of the CEAZ, the note “ballot contested by the CEAZ” is made in the ECS. The ECS enables the electronic saving of the image of these ballots in a special column called “Ballots Contested by the CEAZ”. If a need arises, the CEAZ may physically examine the ballots placed in the envelope of the ballot papers contested by the ECS.


7. The ballots unread by the ECS are physically examined by the CEAZ in order to check whether they are ballot papers, according to the form and content specified by the CEC, or whether the ballot paper is damaged at such extent that it cannot be scanned by the ECS. If the ballot paper is damaged, it is calculated in the total of ballots used in the voting and is evaluated by the CEAZ, in accordance with the criteria envisaged in article 117 of the Code and in the normative act of the CEC.


8. The data and the image of the ballot are entered in the ECS by the technical staff, in accordance with the procedures specified in the normative act of the CEC. Any other ballot, which does not have the form, size and technical characteristics approved by the CEC, is not calculated in the total ballots used in the voting and this fact is noted in the Record of Findings by the CEAZ.


9. Following the counting of all the ballots in the box, the ECS staff check the data under the supervision of the CEAZ and, if there is no objection, confirm them. The data are displayed simultaneously also on the screen for the observers. If observers have objections, the CEAZ is informed about the problem and notes the objections in the Meeting Records Book. The CEAZ takes a decision and then orders the tabulation of results. 10. If the ECS finds a difference between the counted ballots and the data entered in the system on voter turnout, according to the Record of the Closing of the Polls or, as the case may be, in the Record of Findings, the technical staff informs the CEAZ. The discrepancy is noted in the Record of Findings by the CEAZ, which then orders the compilation of the table. The table is compiled and printed by the ECS with the note “discrepancy”. If any of the observers has a remark, it is noted by the ECS staff before the table of results is printed.


11. The table of results of the counted box is immediately printed by the ECS in several copies, signed by the technical staff of the ECS and the CEAZ, and then stamped with the CEAZ stamp. One copy of the table is provided to the observers of electoral subjects or the accredited observers, and one copy is administered by the CEAZ secretary. The data of the results are saved in the system and transmitted electronically to the CEC, which publishes them immediately. The format of the table of results is specified in the normative act of the CEC.


12. Following the completion of the procedures envisaged in points 1 to 11 of this Section, the ballots evaluated as valid are put inside the envelope with the note “VOTES EVALUATED BY THE ECS,” whereas the votes contested by the ECS and evaluated by the CEAZ are put inside the envelope with the note “VOTES CONTESTED BY THE ECS.” These two envelopes, together with the envelope of the Record of Sealing, are placed inside the ballot box. One copy of the Record of Sealing, together with the Record of the Closing of the Polls, is submitted to the CEAZ secretary, who is in charge of their administration. The box is closed with seals with new security codes. One copy of the Record of Sealing is given to the observers of the electoral subjects.


13. The boxes counted in accordance with this Section are sent to the specified spot within the hall of the Ballot Counting Centre. The counting process continues without interruption until all boxes considered as regular by the CEAZ are counted. The counting process is interrupted through a decision of the CEAZ only for reasons which do not depend on the election administration or that obstruct the normal counting process. The reasons are explained in the CEAZ Meeting Records Book.


14. Pursuant to article 122 of this Code, the Aggregate Table of Election Results of the EAZ is compiled automatically and printed by the ECS. The CEC specifies, by a normative act, the format and procedure to be followed in this case.


15. Upon their request, one copy of the documentation produced in accordance with letter “i” of point 2 of Section 2 of this Annex, and a copy of the images n “read-only” format for each scanned ballot of each voting centre, is given to the electoral subjects or the observers accredited by the CEC, following the issuance of the result of the electoral zone, no later than 48 hours from the request, against the fee covering the reproduction cost. The fee is specified by a decision of the CEC.