Maine Revised Statutes Title 21-A. Elections § 826. Procedure for tabulating votes

1. Counters exposed. As soon as the polls are closed, the warden shall unlock each machine to prevent further voting. The warden shall then open the counters on each voting machine so that anyone present can see the totals. If the machine is provided with a device for printing or photographing candidate and question counters, it is not necessary to open the door concealing the counters. The warden and an election clerk from a political party other than that of the warden shall proceed to operate the mechanism provided to produce a record of the votes cast on the candidate and question counters. This record may be considered an official statement or certificate of returns for that machine and may be endorsed, delivered and filed as required by the Secretary of State.

2. Totals announced. The warden shall announce the total for each candidate in the order shown on the ballot label, for each referendum question and for each declared write-in candidate. As each total is read, it must be recorded by an election clerk from a political party other than that of the warden.

3. Totals checked. When all the totals for a voting machine have been read and recorded, the election clerk shall check the totals recorded by the election clerk with those appearing on the machine. If the totals do not agree, the election clerk shall record the number of the machine at the top of the column of totals recorded from it.

4. Machine locked. After allowing any person to compare the record with the totals shown on the machine, the warden shall close and lock it with the totals remaining on it and proceed to tabulate the next machine in the same manner.

5. Paper ballots counted. After the totals for all voting machines have been recorded and checked, all absentee and other official paper ballots shall be counted.

6. Total announced. As soon as the paper ballots have been counted, the total vote for each candidate and on each referendum question shall be tabulated and the result announced by the warden.