FLORIDA STATUTES

FLORIDA -- EXCERPTS OF FOUR STATUTES

104.29 Inspectors refusing to allow watchers while ballots are counted.—The inspectors or other election officials at the polling place shall, after the polls close, allow as many as three persons near to them to see whether the ballots are being reconciled correctly. Any official who denies this privilege or interferes therewith commits a misdemeanor of the first degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082 or s. 775.083.

102.071 Tabulation of votes and proclamation of results.—The election board shall post at the polls, for the benefit of the public, the results of the voting for each office or other item on the ballot as the count is completed. 

101.5614 Canvass of Returns, Paragraph (1)

(1) As soon as the polls are closed, the election board shall secure the voting devices against further voting. The election board shall thereafter, in the presence of members of the public desiring to witness the proceedings, verify the number of voted ballots, unused ballots, provisional ballots, and spoiled ballots to ascertain whether such number corresponds with the number of ballots issued by the supervisor. If there is a difference, this fact shall be reported in writing to the county canvassing board with the reasons therefor if known. The total number of voted ballots shall be entered on the forms provided. The proceedings of the election board at the precinct after the polls have closed shall be open to the public; however, no person except a member of the election board shall touch any ballot or ballot container or interfere with or obstruct the orderly count of the ballots.

Florida Statute 101.5614, Canvass of Returns, paragraph (7):

(7) The return printed by the automatic tabulating equipment, to which has been added the return of write-in, vote-by-mail, and manually counted votes and votes from provisional ballots, shall constitute the official return of the election upon certification by the canvassing board. Upon completion of the count, the returns shall be open to the public. A copy of the returns may be posted at the central counting place or at the office of the supervisor of elections in lieu of the posting of returns at individual precincts.