ND HB1345

Secretary of state must develop standards for county auditors and election officials regarding ballot safeguarding from printing until destruction, requiring each governing body to appoint one individual in addition to the election administrator to oversee undistributed ballots, returned absentee and mail ballots, and completed ballots.

County auditor must cooperate with the appointed individual to fully comply with secretary of state ballot safeguarding standards as part of their statutory duties.

Officer and appointed individual must jointly package absentee ballots securely before delivery to precincts, with package endorsed with precinct name, officer and individual titles, and required warning language.

Ballot boxes and voting machines must be under care and custody of county auditor, assigned staff members, and at least one other individual designated by the board of county commissioners.

Ballot retention period changes from 45 days to 90 days for elections without federal offices, while maintaining 22-month retention for elections with federal offices, with destruction prohibited if any election contest or prosecution is pending.