7.60.020 Counting ballots, general.
A. The ballots shall be counted by the vote tabulation system selected by the clerk.
B. At no time during the tallying of votes may anyone but the election officials handle the ballots. The ballots shall not be marked in any way by anyone during the tallying.
C. The election board shall count the ballots in a manner that allows watchers to see the ballots when opened and read.
D. Hand-counted and computer-counted ballots shall be tabulated according to the following rules:
1. A voter may mark a ballot only by the use of cross marks, “X” marks, diagonal, horizontal, or vertical marks, solid marks, stars, circles, asterisks, checks or plus signs that are clearly spaced in the oval opposite the name of the candidate or proposition the voter desires to designate.
2. Failure to properly mark a ballot as to one (1) or more candidates does not itself invalidate the entire ballot.
3. If a voter marks fewer names than there are persons to be elected to the office, a vote shall be counted for each candidate properly marked.
4. If a voter marks more names than there are persons to be elected to the office, the votes for that office shall not be counted.
5. Improper marks on the ballot shall not be counted and shall not invalidate marks for candidates or propositions properly made.
6. An erasure or correction invalidates only that section of the ballot in which it appears, unless the intent of the voter is clear.
E. Stickers may not be used on ballots.
F. The rules set out in this section are mandatory and there shall be no exceptions to them. A ballot may not be counted unless marked in compliance with these rules. [Ord. 11-13 § 2.]