Numbered Seals Required. Any seal used by a local board shall be numbered. Reception Team to Receive. The sealed ballot boxes from the polling places shall be received by a reception team. Marking. Each ballot box shall be marked as having been inspected before it is delivered to a ballot reception team; and Each ballot box shall be marked with the batch label prior to certification in §D of this regulation. Inspection and Certification. The reception team shall: Inspect each ballot box and its seal; and Prepare and sign a certification of the box’s condition. The certification for each box shall include: The precinct number; The seal number; The condition of seal; Any defects observed; and The batch label. Secure Storage. All voted ballots shall remain in a sealed ballot box until they are authorized to be opened and removed for an audit, recount, judicial challenge, storage, or disposal. Storage Term. All voted ballots shall be retained for at least 22 months after the election. Election Law Article, §§2-102(b)(4), 2-202(b), and 11-309, Annotated Code of Maryland Effective date: February 29, 2016 (43:3 Md. R. 334) Regulation .01 amended effective April 27, 2026 (53:8 Md. R. 356)