[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 7, Volume 7, Parts 700 to 899]
[Revised as of January 1, 2001]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 7CFR717.14]

[Page 74]
 
                          TITLE 7--AGRICULTURE
 
                            CHAPTER VII--FARM
                SERVICE AGENCY, DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
 
PART 717--HOLDING OF REFERENDA--Table of Contents
 
Sec. 717.14  County committee's canvass of ballots.

    The county committee, after the closing of the polls, shall open and 
canvass the absentee ballots received and determine the eligibility of 
each voter. If any person voting absentee is found to be ineligible to 
vote, or the ballot is so mutilated or marked that it is not possible to 
determine with certainty how the person intended to vote, such ballot 
shall not be counted as for or against the question in the referendum. 
The county committee shall meet and pass upon the challenged ballots as 
soon as may be reasonably possible after the challenged ballots are 
received from the community referendum committees, but not later than 4 
calendar days after the day of the referendum. The result of the 
referendum in each community shall be reviewed and summarized as soon as 
may be reasonably possible after the records, ballots, and forms are 
received from the several community referendum committees. Every meeting 
of the county committee for the purpose of canvassing the ballots cast 
and reviewing and tabulating the results of the referendum shall be open 
to the public. No member of the county committee who learns how any 
person besides himself voted, whether the ballot was an absentee ballot, 
challenged, spoiled, or otherwise, shall disclose such knowledge to any 
fellow committeeman or other person except in an investigation conducted 
under this part.