§ 17-20-23 - Marking and certification of ballot.
SECTION 17-20-23
§ 17-20-23 Marking and certification ofballot. – (a) A voter desiring to vote for all candidates of one political party fornational and state, or city or town, offices, shall fill in the appropriatespace next to the designation of that party upon the appropriate ballot. Avoter casting a straight party vote may also individually vote for candidatesand, in doing so, the straight party vote will not be counted for that officeand the individual vote, or votes in the case where more than one candidatewill be elected for an office, will override the straight party vote for thatoffice.
(b) A voter may omit to mark as provided in subsection (a) ofthis section and may vote for the candidates of the voter's choice by making amark in the space provided opposite their respective names.
(c) In case a voter desires to vote upon a question submittedto the vote of the electors of the state, the voter shall mark in theappropriate space associated with the answer that the voter desires to give.
(d) The voter shall mark the ballot in the presence of two(2) witnesses or some officer authorized by the law of the place where markedto administer oaths; provided, that electors casting their ballot pursuant to§ 17-20-2(3) or (7) do not need to have their ballot witnessed ornotarized. Except as otherwise provided for by this chapter, the voter shallnot allow the official or witnesses to see how he or she marks the ballot andthe official or witnesses shall hold no communication with the voter, nor thevoter with the official or witnesses, as to how the voter is to vote.Thereafter, the voter shall enclose and seal the ballot in the envelopeprovided for it. The voter shall then execute before the official or witnessesthe certification on the envelope. The voter shall then enclose and seal thecertified envelope with the ballot in the envelope addressed to the state boardand cause the envelope to be delivered to the state board on or before electionday.
(e) These ballots shall be counted only if received withinthe time limited by this chapter.
(f) There shall be a space provided on the general electionballot to allow the voter to write in the names of persons not in nomination byany party as provided for in §§ 17-19-31 and 17-20-24.