Title 24.2. Elections
Chapter 6. The Election
§ 24.2-654. (Effective until September 1, 2026) Officers to lock and seal voting equipment and ascertain vote after polls closed; statement of results. (2026 updated section)
As soon as the polls are closed, the officers of election shall lock each voting and counting machine against further voting. They shall then proceed to ascertain the vote given at the election and continue without adjournment until they declare the results of the election. They shall seal the machines.
In ascertaining the vote, the officers of election shall complete a statement of results in duplicate on the form and in the manner prescribed by the State Board.
Code 1950, § 24-258, 24-259, 24-312; 1966, c. 453; 1970, c. 462, §§ 24.1-136, 24.1-222; 1974, c. 428; 1979, c. 329; 1981, c. 425; 1983, c. 461; 1985, c. 458; 1993, c. 641; 2014, cc. 540, 576.
24.2-654. (Effective September 1, 2026) Officers to lock and seal voting equipment and ascertain vote after polls closed; statement of results (2026 updated section)
As soon as the polls are closed, the officers of election shall lock each voting and counting machine against further voting. They shall then proceed to ascertain the vote given at the election and continue without adjournment until they declare the results of the election. They shall seal the machines.
In ascertaining the vote, the officers of election shall complete a statement of results in duplicate on the form and in the manner prescribed by the State Board.
In ascertaining the vote, the officers of election shall use ballot scanner machines to count machine-readable ballots. The officers shall not count machine-readable ballots by hand unless (i) the ballot scanner machine is inoperative, (ii) there is no other available scanner, and (iii) it would be unreasonable to wait for (a) the inoperative ballot scanner to be made operative or (b) an operative ballot scanner machine to be delivered to the polling place rather than hand counting the ballots.
Code 1950, § 24-258, 24-259, 24-312; 1966, c. 453; 1970, c. 462, §§ 24.1-136, 24.1-222; 1974, c. 428; 1979, c. 329; 1981, c. 425; 1983, c. 461; 1985, c. 458; 1993, c. 641; 2014, cc. 540, 576; 2026, c. 718.
The chapters of the acts of assembly referenced in the historical citation at the end of this section may not constitute a comprehensive list of such chapters and may exclude chapters whose provisions have expired.