Section 27November 26, 1991, Sec./Art. 27

Number of Copies of Election Returns and their Distribution. - The board of election inspectors shall prepare in handwriting the election returns in their respective polling places, in the number of copies herein provided and in the form to be prescribed and provided by the Commission.

The copies of the election returns shall be distributed as follows:

(a) In the election of President, Vice-President, Senators and Members of the House of Representatives:

(1) The first copy shall be delivered to the city or municipal board of canvassers;

(2) The second copy to the Congress, directed to the President of the Senate;

(3) The third copy, to the Commission;

(4) The fourth copy, to the provincial board of canvassers;

(5) The fifth copy, to be known as advance election returns, shall be delivered to the city or municipal treasurer who, in the presence of the election registrar or his authorized representative, shall immediately and publicly open the same and post the votes therein in an election tally board sufficiently large to enable the public to read them, built on the public place preferably within the immediate vicinity of the city hall or municipal building.

(6) The sixth copy shall be given to the city or municipal trial court judge or in his absence to any official who may be designated by the Commission. The city or municipal trial court judge or the official designated by the Commission shall keep his copies of the election returns, sealed and unopened. Said copy may be opened only during the canvass upon order of the board of canvassers for purposes of comparison with other copies of the returns whose authenticity is in question; and

(7) The seventh copy shall be deposited inside the compartment of the ballot box for valid ballots; and

(b) In the election of local officials:

(1) The first copy shall be delivered to the city or municipal board of canvassers;

(2) The second copy, to the Commission;

(3) The third copy, to the provincial board of canvassers;

(4) The fourth copy, to be known as advance election returns, shall be delivered to the city or municipal treasurer who, in the presence of the election registrar or his authorized representative, shall immediately and publicly open the same and post the votes therein in an election tally board sufficiently large to enable the public to read them, built on a public place preferably within the immediate vicinity of the city hall or municipal building;

(5) The fifth copy shall be given to the city or municipal trial court judge or in his absence, to any official who may be designated by the Commission. The city or municipal trial court judge or the official designated by the Commission shall keep his copies of the election returns, sealed and unopened. Said copy may be opened only during the canvass upon order of the board of canvassers for purposes of comparison with other copies of the returns whose authenticity is in question; and

(6) The sixth copy shall be deposited inside the compartment of the ballot box for valid ballots.