When the hours set for voting, including extended hours of voting, have expired, the presiding officer at each polling place shall publicly announce that the polls are closed. He or she shall then ensure that all persons who are not election officials are prevented from entering within the guardrail until all votes have been counted and ballots secured as provided in this subchapter. Persons who are not election officials may remain within the polling place but outside the guardrail, or within a designated area in any other room where ballots are being counted, provided that they are able to observe the counting process, but that they do not in any way interfere with the orderly count and return of votes. (Added 1977, No. 269 (Adj. Sess.), § 1; amended 1979, No. 200 (Adj. Sess.), § 80.)