A. The borough clerk shall provide a ballot box and an adequate number of voting booths for each polling place. Voting booths shall enable each voter to mark a ballot screened from observation. The ballot box shall be placed outside of the voting booths in plain view of the election officials and other persons at the polling place.

B. Before issuing any ballots, the election board must, in the presence of any persons assembled at the polling place, open and exhibit the ballot box to be used at the polling place. The borough clerk or designee will ensure that the ballot box is empty. The ballot box then shall be closed and shall not be opened again or removed from the polling place until the polls have closed.

C. The voter shall give the election officials the voter’s name and address. The election official may require proof of identification as required by AS 15.15.225. If it is determined that the voter is a qualified voter of the precinct, the voter then shall place the voter’s signature on the appropriate line in the registration book provided by the borough clerk. If any election official present believes the voter is not qualified, that official shall immediately challenge the voter.

D. A person whose right to vote has been challenged may be issued a ballot pursuant to the questioned ballot method. To vote a questioned ballot, the voter must first complete an affidavit attesting to their qualification. After completing the questioned ballot envelope, the election official shall provide the voter with a ballot to complete. When the marked ballot is returned to the election official, it shall be placed in the questioned ballot envelope and segregated from other votes. The clerk shall provide forms and materials for this procedure. All envelopes containing questioned ballots shall be returned to the clerk for delivery, unopened, to the assembly at the time of canvass.

E. If the voter is not challenged, the election officials will issue to the voter the ballot or ballots to which the voter is entitled.

F. Each voter shall retire to a booth or to a private area to mark the voter’s ballot, as indicated by the instructions on the ballot. If a voter requests assistance, it may be provided by two election officials or by a person chosen by the voter. When the voter has marked the ballot, upon leaving the booth the voter shall deposit it in the official ballot box in the presence of the election official unless the voter requests the election official to deposit the ballot in the voter’s behalf.

G. If a voter improperly marks or otherwise damages a ballot, the voter shall return it to the election officials, concealing the manner in which it is marked from view, and shall request a new ballot. The election officials shall destroy the damaged ballot after having recorded its number and shall issue a new ballot to the voter. A voter may request replacement of a damaged ballot no more than two times.

H. During the hours that the polls are open, no judge or clerk may discuss any political party, candidate or issue while on duty. (Ord. 21-10-597 § 4; Ord. 14-04-373 § 4)