Opening of ballot and counting of envelopes:

(change: 8/4/2010-5980/19 art.)

After completing the works and transactions mentioned above, president of the ballot box committee opens the ballot before those who are present at the voting area. 

Envelopes in the ballot are counted twice loudly by president of the ballot box committee. If the results are different, they are counted for the third time and the numbers of envelopes are determined. The determined number of envelopes are issued on the related part of the minute book special to that election. 

After all envelopes are counted, they are controlled in terms of validity. 

Envelopes that are not in determined size and color, those which do not have seals of District Election Board and ballot box committees, those which are totally thrown, those which have seals other than District Election Board and ballot box committees or signatures and finger prints on or any marks, are considered invalid. But those envelopes that have any spots and scratches will be considered valid in case it is not decided whether they are put to make a special sign. 

President of the ballot box committee separates the envelopes subject to objection and those which are considered invalid without any objections. after all envelopes are controlled, ballot box committee examines the envelopes subject to objection and decides whether they are valid or invalid. After that, number of valid and invalid envelopes are written in the minute book special to that election.

Invalid envelopes are packed, sealed and their numbers are written on. These envelopes are kept and definitely not opened.

After these transactions are beng undertaken, the numbers of valid and invalid envelopes and the number of voters who exercised their voting rights, are compared. 

 In case the number of envelopes are equal or less than number of voters that have exercised their voting rights, than no additional transaction is undertaken.

 In case the number of envelopes are more than the voter exercised voting, in order to obtain equality, first number of invalid envelopes are deducted. In case equality can not be reached with this method, president of the ballot box committee randomly chooses envelopes among the valid ones until the number of equality and selected envelopes are immediately burnt without opening. The number of terminated envelopes are written in minute book. 

 After above mentioned transactions are being undertaken, valid envelopes are again put in ballots and counting is started. 

 All these transactions are also recorded in minute book and signed by president and members of ballot box committee and sealed. 

Ballots are not taken out of voting area unless counting and tabulating transactions are completed.