If a county uses an absentee ballot precinct at the building where the county auditor is located to process absentee ballots on election day for a federal, state, or county election, the county has the option to validate the absentee ballot signatures in the county auditor's office. The county auditor shall follow the provisions of § 12-19-10 except for the following:

1. (1) The county auditor, at anytime during the absentee voting timeframe, shall carefully compare the statement on the reverse side of the official return envelope with the written application without opening or breaking the seal of the return envelope; and

2. (2) If the county auditor determines that both signatures match:

   1. (a) The application for absentee ballot does not need to be sent to the absentee precinct board; and
   2. (b) The county auditor shall initial the envelope after the determination that signatures do match.

   A violation of this section is a Class 2 misdemeanor.

Source: SL 2018, ch 82 , § 1; SL 2023, ch 51 , § 13.