# COMAR Title 33 — State Board of Elections

## Subtitle 11 — Absentee Ballots

### Chapter 04 — Canvass of Ballots — Procedures

#### Regulation .07 Ballots — Inspection and Referrals.

*COMAR 33.11.04.07*

A. Ballot Inspection. The team then shall inspect each ballot for compliance and tabulating acceptability.

B. Ballots To Be Referred. The team shall refer to the local board any ballot that:

  (1) Appears to have been intentionally marked for the purpose of identifying the ballot;

  (2) Appears to have been corrected, whether by correction tape, correction fluid, mark-overs, cross-throughs, or the like;

  (3) Contains any tear, fold, food spill, stray mark, or the like, that might:

    (a) Render the ballot unacceptable for machine tabulation; or

    (b) Raise a question of voter intent.

C. Identifying Referrals. The team shall place each ballot referred to the board in a plain envelope, and mark the envelope with:

  (1) The team number;

  (2) Information that identifies the group or unit to which the ballot belongs; and

  (3) The reason for the referral.

D. Completion of Batch. When a team has completed a batch, the election director shall:

  (1) Retrieve the ballots and return envelopes;

  (2) File the return envelopes away;

  (3) Put the ballots in appropriate groups for tabulation; and

  (4) Issue a new batch to the team, unless all ballots already have been removed from their envelopes.