When no federal elections are on the ballot, the sheriff shall keep the ballots six months in the voted ballot box, without opening or unsealing the voted ballot box, and thereafter destroy the ballots unless within six months the sheriff having them in custody is notified that the election of some officer for which the election was held will be contested, in which case the sheriff must preserve the box containing the ballots cast for such contestant until such contest is finally determined or until such box is demanded by some legally constituted custodian during such contest.
Structure Code of Alabama
Chapter 12 - Canvassing Returns/declaring Results.
Section 17-12-1 - Conclusion of Voting; Locking of Equipment; Certificates of Result.
Section 17-12-2 - Statements of Results.
Section 17-12-4 - Procedures Upon Malfunction of Equipment.
Section 17-12-5 - Retest of Equipment.
Section 17-12-6 - Counting Upon Close of Polls.
Section 17-12-7 - Preservation of Ballots by Sheriff.
Section 17-12-9 - Delivery of Certificates to Judge of Probate; Forwarding to Secretary of State.
Section 17-12-10 - Posting of Certificate of Result.
Section 17-12-11 - Returns of Election - How Made; Duty of Judge of Probate.
Section 17-12-12 - Returns of Election - Sealing, Delivery, and Disposition of Records.
Section 17-12-13 - Procedure; Improperly Marked Ballots.
Section 17-12-14 - Ballots to Be Counted, Labeled, Sealed, and Delivered to Returning Officer.
Section 17-12-15 - Time and Manner of Canvassing.
Section 17-12-16 - Certification of Results.
Section 17-12-17 - Canvass of Election Returns by State Officials.
Section 17-12-18 - Governor Proclaims Result of Certain Elections.
Section 17-12-19 - Returns of Election of State Officers.
Section 17-12-20 - List of Registered Voters Open to Inspection.
Section 17-12-21 - Certificates of Election to Members of Congress and Legislators.
Section 17-12-22 - Results of Election of State Officers; Resolution of Tie Votes.
Section 17-12-23 - How Tie Vote Decided.