Section 54.03 - Before the Polls Open(1)Election Officers Report to Polling Place. All election officers must report to work at the polling place at a time to be determined by the city or town clerk, so as to be able to complete all preliminary work and to allow the polls to open on time. They must be sworn in before beginning to work. Election officers shall open the polling place on time.(2)Replacement of Election Officers. If an election officer assigned to a polling place fails to appear or leaves, the city or town clerk shall be notified. Replacements shall be sent, or the corresponding deputy election officer shall be designated as the replacement.(3)Arrange the Polling Place. The voting booths, ballot box, fiberboard boxes with punch cards and ballot envelopes, and the metal transportation box must be in full view at all times. A guard rail shall be arranged to prevent unauthorized people from interfering with or observing people who are voting.(4)Place Demonstration Marking Units at Entrance. One or more marking units must be outside the guard rail for providing instruction to voters.(5)Signs to be Posted. The following items shall be posted in a conspicuous place inside the polls but outside the guard rail: (a) Three specimen ballots (for each party in also, put in required return primaries).(b) three "Instructions to Voters" cards(c) three "Penalties Upon Voter" cards(6)Ballots or Booklets Correct. Election officers shall check the punch-card ballots or booklets or the optical scanner ballots against a specimen ballot to see that they are the correct ballots or booklets for the polling place. The name (and number, if any) of each office and candidate shall be checked. If the ballots or booklets are incorrect, the warden shall call the city or town clerk. Incorrect ballots or booklets shall not be used.(7)Marking units in Working Order. Where punch-cards are used, a marking unit shall be provided for every 125 voters in the precinct, with an implement attached for punching the punch-card ballots. Election officers shall test punch a demonstrator card in each marking unit to ensure it is in working order. Marking units shall be tested frequently throughout the day. If a marking unit is not working properly or a booklet is defaced, the light shall be turned off and the unit turned upside down until it can be repaired. The city or town clerk shall be notified if additional books are needed.(8)Count and Record the Number of Ballots. Election officers shall count and record the actual number of punch cards or optical scanner ballots received in the polling place.(9)Set Up Check-In and Check-Out Tables. An election officer shall lay out the voting list and one stack of punch cards or optical scanner ballots, for each party in a primary, and envelopes or ballot sleeves on the check-in table. An election officer shall also set up the voting list on the check-out table near the ballot box. At the biennial state election, copies of the official information for voters pamphlet, at least one for every 100 registered voters in the precinct, shall be available to voters at the check-in area.(10)Ballot Box. The ballot box shall be placed away from the door, inside the rail, next to the check-out table so it is available to the voters as they leave the polling place.(11)Ballot Clerks. The warden shall appoint two election officers of different political parties to be stationed at the entrance to the voting area. Two other election officers of different parties shall be stationed at the check-out table.(12)Ballot Box Empty. The warden shall publicly open the ballot box and examine it. It should be shown to be empty and the register set at zero to the satisfaction of all election officers and other persons present. The warden shall close and lock the ballot box.(13)Check Printer Tape on Optical Scanner Systems. Where optical scanner systems are used: (a) An election officer shall cause the vote tabulator to print a listing of all candidates and questions in the order they appear on the ballot.(b) At least two election officers of different political parties shall examine the tape to see that there are no votes already on the vote tabulator for each candidate or question.(c) An election officer shall pull the tape out of the machine. Two election officers who observed the printing of the tape must sign their initials at the bottom of the tape and record the date. Any person present shall be allowed to view the printing of the tape within one half hour before the polls open.(d) The tape shall be posted in a conspicuous place inside the polling place.(e) If any of the vote tabulators is not on zero, the warden shall call a technician to service the machine and this event shall be recorded in the clerk's Election Record and signed by the election officers.(14)Election Record. The clerk shall record in the election record: (a) the examination and condition of the ballot box,(b) the register number on the ballot box before any punch card or optical scanner ballots are cast, and(c) the actual count of punch-card or optical scanner ballots received.(15)Ballot Box Key. The warden shall lock the box and give the ballot box key to the police officer. The officer shall keep the key until the polls close.(16)Ballot Box Locked. The ballot box must remain locked or sealed throughout the day. It may not be opened nor ballots removed until after the close of the polls, unless the ballot is returned to the voter in an optical scanner system. (The ballot will be returned if it cannot be read by the vote tabulator.). If the box becomes too full to operate, see 950 CMR 54.04(26).(17)Open on Time. The warden shall open the polls on time if necessary materials are available, even if some things usually done beforehand must be done after the polls open.