1. (a) Except as provided in subsection (b), immediately after:

   1. (1) the couriers have returned the certificate from a precinct under IC 3-11.5-4-9 ; and

   2. (2) the absentee ballot counters or the county election board has made the findings required under IC 3-11-10 and IC 3-11.5-4 for the absentee ballots cast by voters of the precinct and deposited the accepted absentee ballots in the envelope required under IC 3-11.5-4-12 ;

      the absentee ballot counters shall, in a central counting location designated by the county election board, count the absentee ballot votes for each candidate for each office and on each public question in the precinct with the assistance of any persons required for the operation of the automatic tabulating machine.

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.271-2013, SEC.34; P.L.76-2014, SEC.53; P.L.169-2015, SEC.145.