(1) The election administrator shall direct election officials in each precinct, after the close of polls on election day, to tally the number of electors who have chosen to cast provisional ballots, but whose voter information is not verified by the close of the polls on election day, in a location specified by the election administrator in the records maintained by election officials.

(2) All information regarding electors who have chosen to cast provisional ballots shall remain private at all times prior to and during the counting of provisional ballots and shall not be released prior to and during the counting period without a court order.

(3) Election officials shall seal the unverified and verified provisional ballot containers and ensure delivery according to the election administrator's instructions.

(4) The election administrator may open a package containing a precinct register to resolve questions concerning provisional ballots.

(5) The election administrator shall, until 5:00 p.m. on the day after election day, allow electors who cast provisional ballots to verify eligibility to vote, in person, or by sending by facsimile or electronic mail a copy or scanned document.

(6) The election administrator shall allow electors who cast provisional ballots to verify eligibility to vote, by mail postmarked on election day or the day after election day.

(7) If a legally registered elector casts a provisional ballot because the elector failed to provide sufficient identification as required pursuant to 13-13-114(1)(a), MCA, the election administrator or designee shall compare the elector's signature or the signature of an elector's agent designated pursuant to 13-1-116, MCA, on the affirmation required under 13-13-601, MCA, to the elector's or elector's agent's signature on the elector's voter registration card.

(a) If the signatures match, the election administrator shall handle the ballot as provided in 13-15-107(6), MCA.

(b) If the signatures do not match, and the elector fails to provide sufficient identification by the deadline, the ballot must be rejected and handled as provided in 13-15-108, MCA, and this section.

(8) Consistent with 13-15-107, MCA, an election official shall handle a provisional ballot outer envelope which holds a ballot cast provisionally by an elector whose voter information is verified after the close of polls on election day as follows:

(a) remove the provisional ballot outer envelope from the unverified provisional ballot container;

(b) mark it to indicate the reason(s) why it was verified and removed;

(c) remove the provisional ballot secrecy envelope, which must be opened to remove the provisional ballot, and which must then be grouped with other ballots in a manner that allows for the secrecy of the ballot to the greatest extent possible, and counted as any other ballot under (9); and

(d) place the provisional ballot outer envelope in the verified provisional ballot container.

(9) Election officials must not begin the count of provisional ballots, cast by electors whose voter information is received and verified after the close of polls on election day, until 3:00 p.m. on the sixth day following the election.

(10) Election officials must not count any provisional ballots cast by electors whose voter information is not verified by 3:00 p.m. on the sixth day following the election.

(11) After the completion of the count of provisional ballots, election officials must assure the secrecy of the ballots. An election administrator shall not release any information regarding any ballot, including provisionally cast ballots, if that information will result in any person being able to determine how an elector voted on any race or issue on the ballot.