§ 12. Handling of election results.

Be it further enacted, that after each election the managers thereof shall immediately make out and sign a certificate of return under oath of the election; said certificate shall give the name of each candidate voted for, the number of votes received by each candidate, and the office for which he is a candidate. One copy of said return, together with all the ballots voted, the voters' lists and all other papers used in said election shall be by them delivered under seal to the clerk of the City Council of Cumming; and a certificate showing the result of said election shall be by them delivered to the clerk of the City Council of Cumming, before twelve o'clock noon, the following day of the election; whereupon, it shall be the duty of said clerk to declare the result of said election and record the same upon the minutes of said City Council of Cumming. All election returns, ballots, lists, and other papers so deposited with the clerk of the city council under seal shall be by him kept for the space of twenty days after said election, and be by him destroyed without examination, provided no contest is had. In event of a contest it shall be his duty to keep all the papers until called upon to produce them in the court having jurisdiction of the contest, and after such contest shall have been concluded he shall destroy all papers without examination.