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 the members 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 papers that 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 the ballot 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 home voters and ballot papers deposited in the ballot box pursuant to clause 1 of subsection 3 of § 471of this Act, and the ballot papers are placed among the ballot papers of voters who voted at a polling place.
(6) The voting district committee ascertains the number of invalid ballot papers and the number of votes cast for candidates and political parties based on the ballot papers extracted from the ballot boxes, 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) no candidate registration number or more than one candidate registration number has been written on the ballot paper,
3) the candidate whose number is written on the ballot paper is not standing in the given electoral district,
4) the candidate registration number written on the ballot paper has been corrected, or
5) the candidate registration number written on the ballot paper is illegible.
(8) Where no candidate registration number has been written on a ballot paper but the will of the voter is clearand unambiguous, the ballot paper is deemed to be valid.
(9) A record is prepared concerning the ascertaining of the voting results. The chair of the committee signs the record. 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 candidate. Invalid ballot 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 results are promptly forwarded to a rural municipality or city election committee.
(12) Voting results are ascertained publicly in a voting district committee. [RT I, 09.07.2018, 1 – entry into force 01.01.2021]
