§ Miss. Code § 23-15-429Opening of polls

Prior to the opening of the polls, the managers and clerks of each voting precinct shall meet at
the polling place at the time set for opening of the polls, at each election, and shall proceed to
arrange the furniture, stationery and voting machine for the conduct of the election. The keys to
the voting machines shall be delivered to the managers before the time set for opening the polls,
in a sealed envelope, on which shall be written or printed the number and location of the voting
machine, and the number of the seal and the number registered on the protective counter or
device, as reported by the custodian or official preparing the machine. Before opening the
envelope, all managers and clerks present shall examine the number on the seal on the machine,
also the number registered on the protective counter, and shall see if they are the same as the
number written on the envelope; and if they are not the same, the machine must not be opened
until the custodian, or other authorized person, shall have been notified and shall have presented
himself at the polling place for the purpose of re-examining such machine and shall certify that it
is properly arranged.
If the numbers on the envelope are the same as those on the machine, the election officers
shall proceed to open the doors concealing the counters, and each officer shall carefully examine
every counter and see that it registers zero, and the same shall be subject to the inspection of
official watchers. The machine shall remain locked against voting until the polls are formally
opened, and shall not be operated except by voters in voting. If any counter is found not to
register zero, the manager shall immediately notify the officials in charge of the election or the
custodian, who shall, if practicable, adjust the counters at zero; but if it shall be impracticable to
so adjust such counters before the time set for opening the polls, the managers shall immediately
make a written statement of the designating letter and number of such counter, together with the
number registered thereon, and shall sign and post same upon the wall of the polling room,
where it shall remain throughout election day, and, in filling out the statement of canvass, they
shall subtract such number from the number then registered thereon.