§ 11-46-39 — Oath and Identification of Voters Challenged; Voting Procedure Where Paper Ballots Used

(a) Where paper ballots are used, the inspector, upon the elector’s entering the polling place, shall examine the list of qualified electors furnished by the clerk pursuant to subsection (a) of Section 11-46-36, and, if it appears from this examination that the person is a qualified elector of the state authorized to vote at that box, the inspector shall then give the person one ballot on the stub of which the inspector shall write or shall have already written his or her name or initials. If the person’s name does not appear on the list of qualified voters for that ward or box, the person may not vote except by provisional ballot.
(b) In cities of more than 3,000 inhabitants, each elector on receiving a ballot shall forthwith and without leaving the polling place retire alone to one of the booths or compartments provided for that purpose and there prepare the ballot in the manner provided in this article. In all other cities or towns the elector may prepare the ballot at any point within the polling place.
(c) Any elector who shall by accident or mistake spoil a ballot so that the elector cannot conveniently or safely vote the same may return it to the inspectors and receive another in lieu thereof which must be voted or returned by such elector.
(d) After preparing the ballot the elector shall fold the same so as to conceal the face thereof and show the stub thereto attached with the name or initial of the inspector and hand it to the receiving inspector, who must receive the folded ballot and call the name of the elector audibly and distinctly.
(e) One of the clerks shall immediately enter on one of the lists headed names of voters and called poll lists the name of such elector opposite the number indicating the order in which electors vote, the first elector voting being numbered one, the second two, and so on to the last elector voting, and at the same time the other clerk shall see that the elector whose name was called shall immediately sign his or her own name on another poll list on a line bearing the same number appearing opposite such elector’s name on the above-mentioned poll list, unless such elector because of physical handicap or illiteracy is unable to write his or her own name on such list. If the voter is physically handicapped, an election official shall write the name of such voter on the list together with the cause of assistance and shall sign his or her own name on the poll list on the same line with the voter’s name. If the voter is unable to sign his or her name because of illiteracy, the name shall be written for the voter and the voter shall, in the presence of one of the election officials, make his or her mark upon the poll list. The election official witnessing the act shall record his or her name as witness on the same line with the name of the voter.
(f) The receiving inspector shall then write the number of the ballot in the square provided therefor and forthwith, in the presence of the voter, shall place one of the black seals furnished along with the other election supplies over the square in such manner as to make it impossible to see the number placed therein without removing the seal, yet so that the seal may be removed without obliterating the number placed in the square. After numbering the ballot the inspector shall detach the stub and pass the ballot to each of the other inspectors, and it must then, without being opened or examined, be deposited in the proper ballot box.

Legislative History

(Acts 1961, No. 663, p. 827, §19; Act 2010-687, p. 1660, §1.)