(a) Immediately after the polls are closed at 8 p.m., the counting of the ballots shall commence. The supervisor and not less than two judges shall remain continuously in the room until the ballots are finally counted. One or more judges shall act as official counters and two or more clerks shall record the value of each vote and shall comprise a vote tallying team. The vote shall be recorded on two tally sheets by each team of judges and clerks under the name of each candidate for whom the voter designated his choice. The count shall continue until all votes have been recorded. The duties of the remaining officials of the election board will be to assist in conducting the election. After the vote of each ballot is recorded, the ballot shall be pierced by needle and string and after the ballots have been so counted, the ends of the string shall be tied together. After all other ballots have been counted, the sealed inner envelopes containing the absentee ballots shall be opened and all ballots found to be valid shall be counted and treated in the same manner as other valid ballots. All ballots and mutilated ballots; registration lists of voters, both absentee and those appearing at the poll; all tally sheets; and all other election materials shall be placed in the ballot box which shall be locked. The supervisor shall then deliver the locked ballot box and keys to same to the Superintendent, Osage Agency, and the box shall be retained in a safe place until opened by order of the supervisor or election board in the event a contest is filed. If no contest is filed, the ballots shall be destroyed 180 days after the election. No information concerning voting shall be posted or made public information until after 8 p.m.

(b) Should any ballot be marked for more than one principal chief or assistant chief or for more than eight councilmen, only that section of the ballot wherein the error was made shall be declared void and the remaining section or sections shall be counted in the same manner as other ballots. Absentee ballots shall be declared void when items other than the ballot are enclosed in the inner envelope, the voter fails to sign the statement appearing on the outer envelope, and for failure to seal the inner envelope or enclose the inner envelope in the outer envelope. Votes cast for individuals whose names are not printed on the official ballot shall not be counted.

[32 FR 10254, July 12, 1967, as amended at 43 FR 8799, Mar. 3, 1978. Redesignated at 47 FR 13327, Mar. 30, 1982]