Indiana § 3-6-8-4 - Powers and duties

§ 3-6-8-4. Powers and duties

Sec. 4. (a) A watcher appointed under this chapter is entitled to do the following:

(1) Enter the polls at least thirty (30) minutes before the opening of the polls and remain there throughout election day until all tabulations have been completed.

(2) Inspect the paper ballot boxes, ballot card voting system, or electronic voting system before votes have been cast.

(3) Inspect the work being done by any precinct election officer (except when a precinct election officer enters a confidential login or password to obtain access to an electronic poll book or to operate a voting system).

(4) Enter, leave, and reenter the polls at any time on election day.

(5) Witness the calling and recording of the votes and any other proceedings of the precinct election officers in the performance of official duties.

(6) Receive a summary of the vote prepared under IC 3-12-2-15, IC 3-12-3-2, IC 3-12-3-11, or IC 3-12-3.5-3, signed by the precinct election board, providing:

(A) the names of all candidates of the political party whose primary election is being observed by the watcher and the number of votes cast for each candidate;

(B) the names of all candidates at a general, municipal, or special election and the number of votes cast for each candidate; or

(C) the vote cast for or against a public question.

(7) Accompany the inspector and judge in delivering the tabulation and election returns to the county election board by the most direct route.

(8) Be present when the inspector takes a receipt for the tabulation and election returns delivered to the county election board.

(b) Subject to the restrictions under section 1 of this chapter, a watcher appointed under this chapter may enter, leave, and reenter multiple polling places at any time on election day.

[Pre-1986 Recodification Citations: 3-1-6-2(c)(1) part, (c)(2) part.]

As added by P.L.5-1986, SEC.2. Amended by P.L.3-1987, SEC.38; P.L.3-1993, SEC.26; P.L.3-1997, SEC.48; P.L.221-2005, SEC.11; P.L.169-2015, SEC.11; P.L.209-2021, SEC.7; P.L.241-2025, SEC.7.