Immediately upon receiving the ballots as provided in section 16.1 -15-08, the county recorder shall give a receipt to the election judges and shall place the ballots in boxes that are securely locked. The boxes must be placed in a fireproof vault and must be kept securely for forty-five days if the ballots do not contain federal offices and twenty -two months if the ballots contain federal offices. The ballots may not be opened nor inspected, except upon court order in a contested election, when it is necessary to produce them at a trial for any offense committed at an election, or to permit election officials to complete their duties. Either forty -five days or twenty-two months after the election dependent upon the retention schedule outlined in this section, upon determination by the county recorder that no contest is pending, the ballots must be destroyed. If any contest of the election of any officer voted for at the election or a prosecution under the provisions of this title is pending at the expiration of the time, the ballots may not be destroyed until the contest or prosecution is finally determined. The ballots returned to the county recorder as provided in this section must be received in evidence without introducing further foundation.
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