A. The clerk shall preserve all official ballots in a secure manner, unopened and unaltered, for not less than thirty (30) calendar days from the date of the election certification or, in cases where the election is contested, until thirty (30) calendar days after the final resolution of the contest or except as otherwise provided by law. The clerk may permit the inspection of the ballots upon order of a court of competent jurisdiction. Upon the expiration of the preservation period, the clerk shall completely destroy the ballots, and make and keep a written certificate that the ballots have been destroyed.

B. All precinct election certificates, tallies, registers, receipts for ballots, and declarations of candidacy shall be preserved for four (4) years following the certification of the election. [Ord. 11-13 § 2.]