1. (a) Except as provided in subsection (b), at any time after the couriers return the certificate under section 9 of this chapter, absentee ballot counters appointed under section 22 of this chapter, in the presence of the county election board, shall, except for a ballot rejected under section 13 of this chapter:

   1. (1) open the outer or carrier envelope containing an absentee ballot envelope and application;
   2. (2) announce the absentee voter's name; and
   3. (3) compare the signature upon the application with the signature upon the affidavit on the ballot envelope or transmitted affidavit.

2. (b) This subsection applies to a county that:

   1. (1) has adopted an order to use an electronic poll book under IC 3-7-29-6 (a)(1); or

   2. (2) is a vote center county under IC 3-11-18.1 .

      Immediately after the electronic poll books used at each polling place or vote center have been updated to indicate that the county received, not later than noon on election day, an absentee ballot from a voter, the absentee ballot counters shall, in a central counting location designated by the county election board, count the absentee ballot votes cast for each candidate for each office and on each public question in the precinct.

As added by P.L.3-1993, SEC.176 and P.L.19-1993, SEC.2. Amended by P.L.126-2002, SEC.84; P.L.258-2013, SEC.84; P.L.76-2014, SEC.48; P.L.169-2015, SEC.138.