As soon as the polls close and the last voter has voted, the Chief Manager and two Assistant Managers at the polling place begin closing the ballot scanners so that no further votes can be cast. Then they record the number of scanned ballots from every ballot scanner used in the polling place. Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. r. 183-1-12-.12(a)(1). The Chief Manager and two Assistant Managers at the polling place then print and sign three copies of the tabulated results from each machine, “indicating that it is a true and correct copy of the tape produced by the ballot scanner.” Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. r. 183-1-12-.12(a)(1). One copy of the tapes of tabulated results, along with a copy of the ballot recap form, are taped to the door of the polling place so that they can be inspected by the public. A second copy of the tapes is also placed in an envelope provided by the Election Superintendent, “along with the ‘poll officer’ memory card from the ballot scanner.” [1] The third copy of the tabulated results is placed into another envelope with the polling recap form. Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. r. 183-1-12-.12(a)(4).
If for some reason, the Chief Manager and two Assistant Managers believe that the printed tapes “are not a true and correct tabulation of the ballots scanned by that ballot scanner,” the Chief Manager and two Assistant Managers must “document the reasons and evidence for that belief” and inform the Election Superintendent. Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. r. 183-1-12-.12(a)(1). Additionally, as soon as possible after the polls close and the last voter has voted, the Chief Manager informs the Election Superintendent of the total number of ballots scanned into the ballot scanners, the total number of provisional ballots issued at the precinct, and the total number of ballots cast but unscanned and placed in a scanner emergency bin. Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. r. 183-1-12-.12(a)(3).
The Chief Manager is also responsible for recording several statistics on what is called a “recap form.” To complete the form, the Chief Manager records the number of ballots printed from each ballot marking device, the number of spoiled ballots, the number of ballots placed in the emergency bin of the scanner that were unable to be scanned, and the total number of voter check-ins from the electronic pollbook and the paper voter list (if it was used). If the numbers recorded on the recap form do not add up, the Chief Manager must “immediately determine the reason for the inconsistency” and correct the problem, if possible. The Chief Manager must then “fully document the inconsistency or problem along with any corrective measures taken.” Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. r. 183-1-12-.12(a)(2).
The Chief Manager and two Assistant Managers unseal and open each ballot box. The paper ballots are then transferred from each ballot box into a “durable, portable, secure and sealable container” so that the contents of each ballot box remain separated in preparation for transportation to the office of the Election Superintendent or a tabulating center. Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. r. 183-1-12-.12(a)(5)); see also O.C.G.A. § 21-2-483(a) (stating that ballots can be counted at a precinct or a tabulating center “under the direction” of the Election Superintendent).