Section 22-9-125 - Alternate procedures for collecting and counting absentee ballots(a) The board of county commissioners may elect to adopt one (1) or both of the following alternate procedures for casting, collecting and counting absentee ballots: (i) Direct that absentee ballots shall be delivered to and counted by at least three (3) judges appointed for that purpose under W.S. 22-8-107 instead of the procedures specified in this chapter for the delivery of absentee ballots to the separate precincts or designated counting centers. However, if this alternate procedure is used, the judges shall record the results by precinct and shall immediately certify the results to the county clerk;(ii) Direct that an absentee polling place may be established in the courthouse or other public building which is equipped to accommodate voters from all districts and precincts within the county and shall be open the same hours as the courthouse on normal business days during the time period allowed for absentee voting. If this alternate procedure is used, the county clerk may also establish in one (1) or more public buildings within the county additional satellite absentee polling places to accommodate voters. A satellite absentee polling place shall be open only on the dates and at the times specified by the county clerk during the time period allowed for absentee voting.(b) In the case of electronic voting systems using either alternate procedure provided in subsection (a) of this section, the ballots may be tabulated automatically on election day and the ballot counts shall be entered at the designated counting center at the time the polls close on election day.(c) If either alternate voting procedure provided in subsection (a) of this section is sought to be used, the secretary of state is authorized to adopt rules and regulations to guard against abuses of the elective franchise to include such matters as contained in W.S. 22-26-113 through 22-26-115.(d) Notwithstanding subsection (b) of this section and any other mandatory procedures for counting absentee ballots under this chapter, the county clerk may choose to prepare and process absentee ballots the Thursday or Friday immediately preceding election day, provided: (i) Any county clerk electing to use this method of preparing and processing absentee ballots shall first notify the secretary of state;(ii) The county clerk shall notify each political party of the date, time and place that absentee ballot preparation and processing will occur. The notice shall include information on in-person observation of the process, including any procedures regarding the observation;(iii) No candidate or candidate's committee chairperson or treasurer shall be allowed to observe the preparation and processing of absentee ballots under paragraph (ii) of this subsection;(iv) No results of absentee ballots prepared and processed under this subsection shall be made known, printed, released or provided to any person and the results shall not be incorporated into the final vote count in any manner until after the polls close on election day;(v) No person observing the preparation and processing or performing the preparation and processing of absentee ballots under paragraph (ii) of this subsection shall be allowed to have in their possession any personal electronic device, except a device for medical necessity, within ten (10) feet of the area where the preparation and processing is occurring at any time while preparation and processing is occurring;(vi) The secretary of state shall adopt rules for the preparing and processing of absentee ballots under this subsection.Amended by Laws 2022 , ch. 39, § 1, eff. 7/1/2022.Amended by Laws 2020 , ch. 101, § 1, eff. 3/13/2020.Amended by Laws 2014 , ch. 108, § 1, eff. 3/10/2014.