Ascertaining of voting results in voting district committee
(1) A voting district committee opens the ballot boxes after the close of voting. More than one half of themembers of the voting district committee must be present at the opening.
(2) Before the ballot boxes are opened, the voting district committee has to count and cancel all ballot papersthat were not issued to voters and all spoiled ballot papers returned by voters. Ballot papers are cancelled by cutting off a corner of the ballot paper.
(3) Before the ballot boxes are opened, the voting district committee prepares a record sheet concerning theballot papers.
(4) When a ballot box is opened, the condition of the security features on the box is inspected.
(5) An impression of the seal of the voting district committee is put on the outside of ballot papers of homevoters and ballot papers deposited in the ballot box pursuant to subsection 4 of § 38 and subsection 3 of § 401of this Act, and the ballot papers are placed among the ballot papers of voters who voted at the polling place.
(6) The voting district committee ascertains the number of ballot papers, including invalid ballot papers,extracted from the ballot boxes, and the number of affirmative and negative answers to the issue submitted to the referendum, and enters these numbers in a record.
(7) A ballot paper is declared invalid where:
1) it does not bear two impressions of the seal of the voting district committee,
2) neither or both of the spaces for answers have been completed on the ballot paper or 3) the answer on the ballot paper has been changed.
(8) A ballot paper is valid where neither of the spaces for answers has been completed on the paper but the willof the voter is clear and unambiguous.
(9) A record is prepared concerning the ascertaining of the voting results. The chair of the committee signs therecord. The date and time of preparation of the record are indicated in the record.
(10) After ascertaining of the voting results, valid ballot papers are packed as per the answer given. Invalidballot papers, ballot papers which were not issued to voters and spoiled ballot papers returned by voters are packed separately. The voting district from which the ballot papers originate and the type and number of ballot papers in the packet are noted on each packet. The chair of the voting district committee signs the notation.
(11) Ballot papers, the record sheet concerning the ballot papers and the records concerning the voting resultsare promptly forwarded to a rural municipality or city election committee.
(12) Voting results are ascertained publicly in a voting district committee. Persons who are present at thecounting of votes must follow the oral orders given by members of the vote counting committee. [RT I, 09.07.2018, 1 – entry into force 01.01.2021]
