§3-6-11. Disposition of certificates.

The separate certificates of the board of canvassers, made pursuant to section ten of this article, shall be disposed of by the board of canvassers as follows: Of the certificates respecting the election for delegate or delegates in the Legislature, they shall, upon request of the candidate, transmit a copy to any candidate, and shall file a copy in the office of the clerk of the county commission to be preserved and made available to the general public and to the media. The clerk shall transmit a copy to the Secretary of State within thirty days from the date of the election, except that in the case of a recount, within thirty days from the date of the completion of the recount, who shall submit the same to the House of Delegates, on the first day of the next ensuing session, together with a list of the persons appearing thereby to be elected. Of the certificates respecting the election of state senator, they shall, upon request of the candidate, transmit a copy to any candidate, and shall file a copy in the office of the clerk of the county commission to be preserved and made available to the general public and to the media. The clerk shall transmit a copy to the Secretary of State within thirty days from the date of the election, except that in the case of a recount, within thirty days from the date of the completion of the recount, to be submitted by the Secretary of State to the Senate, on the first day of the next ensuing session, together with a list of persons appearing thereby to be elected. Of the certificates respecting the election of state officers, a copy for each officer, except justice of the Supreme Court of Appeals, shall be sealed and transmitted by the commissioners to the Secretary of State within thirty days from the date of the election endorsed on the envelope as follows: "Returns of the election for state officers." Except in the case of a recount, the certificates shall be transmitted within thirty days from the date of the completion of the recount. The Secretary of State shall deliver the certificates to the Speaker of the House of Delegates on the first day of the next session of the Legislature; and the speaker shall, immediately after the organization of the House of Delegates and before proceeding to other business, open and publish the certificates in the presence of a majority of each house of the Legislature, which bodies shall, for that purpose, assemble in the hall of the House of Delegates. The person having the highest number of votes for any one of such offices shall be declared duly elected thereto; but if two or more persons have the same and the highest number of votes for the same office, the Legislature shall, by a joint vote of the two houses, choose one of said persons for the office; and one of each of the last-mentioned certificates shall also be transmitted, under seal, to the Governor, who shall immediately tabulate the vote in all the counties, for each office, and cause the results to be printed in a newspaper published at the seat of government. Of the certificates respecting the election for United States senator, member of the House of Representatives in the Congress of the United States, justice of the Supreme Court of Appeals, judge of a circuit court, and president and vice president of the United States, respectively, the commissioners shall, upon request of the candidate, transmit a copy to any candidate, and a copy to the Governor within thirty days from the date of the election; except that in the case of a recount, within thirty days from the date of the completion of the recount; and the Governor shall ascertain who are elected and make proclamation thereof. The commissioners shall also file a copy of the certificates in the office of the clerk of the county commission to be preserved and made available to the general public and to the media. Of the certificates respecting the election of all county and district officers, the commissioners shall, upon request of the candidate, transmit a copy to any candidate, and shall file a copy in the office of the clerk of the county commission to be preserved and made available to the general public and to the media.

No county may be charged for the publication of any certificates of election.