Before every election the secretary of the electoral board, or another board member, board employee, or the general or an assistant registrar designated by the board, shall deliver to an officer of election of each precinct the official ballots for that precinct and obtain a receipt for the package or packages and a certificate that the seals are unbroken. If the secretary or other such designated person is unable to deliver the official ballots, another member of the board shall deliver the ballots.
Before opening the polls, the officers of election shall open the sealed package and carefully count the ballots. If there is more than one package, additional packages shall be opened as needed and the ballots counted as provided in this section.
Code 1950, §§ 24-230, 24-231; 1970, c. 462, §§ 24.1-120, 24.1-121; 1993, c. 641; 1997, c. 460.