An Act to require the sorting of absentee ballots.

Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of South Dakota:

Section 1. That § 12-19-43 be AMENDED.

12-19-43. Review--Sorting--Processing--Absentee Ballots.

The county auditor may shall direct the board to meet on election day prior to the closing of the polls for the sole purpose of reviewing the absentee voters' affidavits appearing on the sealed ballot envelopes, if in the auditor's judgment this procedure shall be necessary due to the number of absentee ballots received. The absentee ballots may shall be opened, stamped, and placed in the ballot box or processed by an automatic tabulating machine, but under no circumstances shall the ballots be manually counted nor any vote totals printed or displayed by any tabulating machine prior to the closing of the polls. If ballots are processed by an automatic tabulating machine prior to the closing of the polls, the resolution board shall be present and notification of such processing shall be provided to each county party chairperson at least ten days before the election.