Current through Register Vol. 54, No. 49, December 7, 2024
Section 171.15 - Counting of absentee ballots valid for President and Vice President only(a) Before and after the counting of ballots, those absentee ballots valid only for the Presidential and Vice Presidential election under the 1970 Voting Rights Act Amendments (42 U.S.C.A. § 1973aa et seq.), as detailed in the September 15, 1972, Attorney General's opinion which appears at 2 Pa.B. 1913, shall be kept absolutely separate from other ballots. The ballots, valid only for Presidential and Vice Presidential electors and required to be kept separate from other ballots, are limited to the following: (1) Absentee ballots from voters who, under the 1970 Voting Rights Act Amendments (42 U.S.C.A. § 1973aa et seq.), have registered absentee or received absentee ballots. The voters shall only be using the special separate ballots listing only candidates for President and Vice President.(2) Absentee ballots from voters who are qualified to vote for State and local candidates, as well as President and Vice President under the election laws of the Commonwealth, but which ballots have been received after 5 p.m. of the Friday before the election, but before the closing of the polls on election day. Only votes for President and Vice President on such ballots are valid. Votes for State and local officials on such ballots are void and may not be counted.(b) Special ballots listing only President and Vice President candidates shall be counted at the court house commencing at the closing of the polls. Ballots from voters who are qualified to vote for State and local candidates as well as President and Vice President, but which ballots have been received after 5 p.m. of the Friday before the election, but before the closing of the polls on election day shall be counted at the court house at the closing of the polls. A special election return board shall be convened on election night in order to count these ballots at the Court House. Members of that special board shall be appointed in teams of three by the County Board of Elections. Each County Commissioner must appoint one member of each team.(c) Those absentee ballots valid only for Presidential and Vice Presidential elections which are counted at the Court House on election day, shall be kept separate from all other ballots, even after the count has been made.