(a) Upon receipt of a ballot envelope the Department, or a person authorized by the Department, shall:
(1) Ascertain the names of each elector as they appear on the face of each ballot envelope;
(2) Ascertain from the information on the ballot envelope the election district with whose votes the ballot within it shall be tallied; and
(3) Place the ballot envelope in a secure location until such time as it is opened and the ballot within it is counted.
(b) No member of the Department (the director or any other person) shall open or attempt to open the ballot envelope, or change or alter or attempt to change or alter the ballot envelope, or any writing, printing or anything whatsoever thereon.