Alabama § 11-46-33 - Duties of Clerk as to Voting Machines.

§ 11-46-33. Duties of Clerk as to Voting Machines.

(a) Whenever voting machines are to be used in any municipal election the municipal clerk shall:

(1) Cause the proper ballot labels to be placed on the voting machines;

(2) Cause the machines to be placed in proper working order for voting;

(3) Examine all voting machines in the presence of authorized watchers for any interested persons before they are sent out to the polling places;

(4) See that all the registering counters are set at zero;

(5) Lock, in the presence of authorized watchers, all voting machines so that the counting machinery cannot be operated; and

(6) Seal each one with a numbered seal, a list of which numbered seals and the number on the protective counters, together with the number of the voting place to which it was sent shall be kept as a permanent record in such clerk’s office, open to any citizen.

(b) The inspection and sealing of voting machines shall begin not later than 9:00 A.M., of the Monday before any election at which such machines are to be used and shall continue until all machines are sealed. When all machines are locked and sealed, the key to each machine shall be placed in an envelope and sealed, the signature of the municipal clerk and the signature of two watchers of opposed interest, if such there shall be, shall be placed across the seal, and on the envelope shall be written the number then on the protective counter and the number on the seal of the voting machines. This envelope shall be delivered to the election inspector who will serve as an election officer at the polling place where such machine is used.

(c) It shall be the duty of the municipal clerk to see that a voting machine or machines, together with an instruction model for each machine showing a portion of the face of such machine in use at such election, is delivered to each and every polling place where machines are required by law to be used at least one hour before the time set for opening the polls in such ward. After the machine has been delivered, the clerk shall cause such machine to be set up in the proper manner and cause protection to be given so that such machine shall be free from molestation and injury. The protective curtains shall be examined to see that they properly conceal the actions of the voter while such voter is operating the machine. All poll lists and necessary supplies shall be delivered to the inspector at the same time the key or keys to the machine are delivered.

(d) Except as otherwise provided by law, the term voting machines, as used in this title, shall not include electronic vote counting systems as defined in Title 17.