§ 3.24.100. Defective and unused ballots

If a voter shall mark more names than there are persons to be elected to any office or if for any reason it is impossible to determine from his ballot any voter's choice for any office to be filled, the ballot shall not be counted as to that office or issue. A failure to properly mark a ballot as to one or more candidates or issues shall not invalidate the entire ballot. No ballot shall be rejected if the election board can determine the person for whom the voter intended to vote and the office intended to be chosen by the voter. Ballots not counted shall be marked "Defective" on the back, and the ballots to which objection has been made shall be marked "Objected To" on the back. An explanation of the defect or objection shall be written on the back of the ballot and signed by the chairman. All such ballots shall be enclosed in an envelope marked on the outside with the label: "Defective and Objected Ballots." All ballots not voted on and all ballots spoiled by voters shall be returned by the judges to the city clerk, who shall give a receipt for them and keep a record of the number and condition of ballots returned to him indicating when and by which judge each was returned.

(Prior Code, § 3.06.10)