(a) At the time appointed by the municipal governing body to canvass the returns of the election the municipal clerk shall deliver to the governing body the envelopes addressed to the governing body, which were delivered to him or her by the returning officers of the several wards in the city or town immediately after the votes had been counted and the returns thereof prepared.
(b) The clerk shall securely keep the ballot boxes until it is known that there will be no contest, but in any event not less than six months, and, if in that time no contest has been properly instituted, the clerk shall then destroy the contents of the boxes without examining the same.
(c) No ballot box shall be opened except in one of the following events:
(1) In the event of a contest, where the opening of a box has been ordered by the court hearing the contest, in which event the ballot box shall be opened by or under the supervision of the judge ordering the opening of a box and in the manner prescribed by him or her.
(2) For the purpose of canvassing the returns and obtaining the result of the election in a particular ward or voting district from the contents of the box when the box has been returned, but no certificate of the result of the election has been separately delivered to the municipal governing body by the election inspectors. If a box is opened for this latter purpose the certificate of result contained therein, if any, and if no certificate of result is enclosed, then any other of the contents of the box, so far as necessary, may be used to determine the result of the election, after which the papers shall be returned into the box and the box shall be resealed in the presence of the municipal governing body, and the box shall then be retained without again opening it for the time prescribed in subsection (b).
(3) For the purpose of conducting a recount of the ballots as otherwise allowed by law.
Structure Code of Alabama
Title 11 - Counties and Municipal Corporations.
Title 2 - Provisions Applicable to Municipal Corporations Only.
Article 2 - Elections in Certain Cities or Towns Having Mayor-Council Form of Government.
Section 11-46-21 - Time of Elections; Notice; Assumption of Duties by Elected Officers.
Section 11-46-22 - Notice of Elections.
Section 11-46-24 - Designating and Equipping Voting Places; Election Officials; Canvass Returns.
Section 11-46-25 - Ballots; Statements of Candidacy; Withdrawal of Candidacy.
Section 11-46-26 - Proceedings Where Only One Candidate or Nominee for Office.
Section 11-46-27 - Appointment, Compensation, etc., of Election Officers.
Section 11-46-29 - Appointment of Election Officers Upon Failure of Others to Attend Polls.
Section 11-46-32 - Election Supplies.
Section 11-46-33 - Duties of Clerk as to Voting Machines.
Section 11-46-34 - Voting Booths.
Section 11-46-40 - Assistance of Disabled Electors Generally.
Section 11-46-43 - Right of Secret Ballot; Write-in Voting Prohibited.
Section 11-46-49 - Election Officers for Voting Machines; Duties.
Section 11-46-56 - Absentee Ballots - Eligibility.
Section 11-46-58 - Absentee Ballots - Marking, Posting, etc., of Lists of Applicants.
Section 11-46-59 - Offenses of Mayor and Other Executive Officers.
Section 11-46-60 - Offenses of Clerks.
Section 11-46-61 - Offenses of Election Officers Generally.
Section 11-46-62 - Offenses of Inspectors.
Section 11-46-63 - Failure of Returning Officer to Deliver Statement of Votes and Poll List.
Section 11-46-64 - Deception of Disabled Voters by Marker, Etc.
Section 11-46-65 - Drinking of Intoxicating Liquors by Watcher.
Section 11-46-67 - Offenses of Electors.
Section 11-46-68 - Miscellaneous Offenses.
Section 11-46-69 - Contest of Elections - Grounds; Commencement of Action.
Section 11-46-70 - Contest of Elections - Trial; Entry of Judgment.
Section 11-46-71 - Annulment of Elections.
Section 11-46-72 - Procedure Where Election Not Held on Day Appointed.
Section 11-46-73 - Provisions of Article as to Offenses Cumulative.
Section 11-46-74 - Use of Election Dates Established by Classification Act or Local Act.