CHAPTER 453

An Act to amend and reenact §§ 24-812 and 24-814 as amended, of the
Code of Virginia, relating to canvass of the vote and to certain pre-
cautionary security measures after elections when voting machines

are used,
{H 779]
Approved April 1, 1966

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:

1. That §§ 24-312 and 24-314 as amended, of the Code of Virginia be
amended and reenacted as follows:

§ 24-312. As soon as the polls of election are closed the judges of
election shall immediately lock and seal the voting machine against further
voting and open the counter compartment in the presence of all persons
who may be lawfully present at the time, giving full view of the counters,
and shall canvass and announce the results as shown by the counters in-
cluding the votes recorded for each office on the independent ballots, and
shall also announce the vote upon every amendment, proposition or question
voted upon. The vote as registered shall be entered on a statement of can-
vass and when completed shall be compared with the number of the counter
of the machine. If found to be correct the statements shall be duly certified
and sworn to and returned and filed as now provided by law for returning
and filing election returns. If machines of the type that print returns are
used, the printed return sheets, with the addition of write-in votes and
votes cast on absentee ballots recorded thereon and duly certified and sworn
to, may be inserted in the poll books by the clerks and judges in lieu of the
type of written returns required by § 24-265 and whether so used or not,
one return sheet from each machine shall be placed with the poll books and
sealed and returned as required by § 24-267. No tally sheets nor return
blank as required by law for use in election districts where paper ballots
are used need be furnished or used where voting machines are used, and no
ballots need be returned with the statement of canvass except the inde-
pendent ballots and ballots cast by absent voters.

§ 24-314. The keys of the voting machine shall be inclosed in a sealed
envelope having endorsed thereon a certificate of the judges of election
stating the number of the machine, the election precinct, the number on the
seal and the number of the protective counter, and shall be returned and
delivered by one of the judges of the election to the clerk of the circuit court
in the county or to the clerk of the corporation court in the city, where the
election was held. After being locked by the judges of election the voting
machines shall remain locked for the period of thirty days and as much
longer as may be necessary or advisable because of any threatened contest
over the result of the election except as may be necessary to prepare the
machines for another election and except that they may be opened and a
data examined upon the order of a court of competent jurisdiction. Wher
recounts occur in precincts using printed return type machines, the printe
returns made to the clerk may be used as the offictal evidence of the result