Once the vehicles transporting the ballot boxes arrive at the counting centre, designated officials should unload in the order of arrival.

If a queue of vehicles is forming, an attendant could distribute tickets indicating the time of arrival. This will maintain a sequential order of priority in processing the vehicles/teams, and also allow an accurate recording of the time of arrival in the receipt log.

The waybill and/or the transportation form should be collected from the driver(see Completion of Transport Logs) and verified: the driver's identification, numbers of the seals, etc.

The documentation should also be verified against information previously transmitted to the counting centre from the voting station. The seal on the vehicle should only be broken once proper verification is completed and an exact count of the number of ballot boxes to be received is known.

The ballot boxes are then unloaded, one-by-one, from the vehicle and moved to the planned intake destination in the counting centre. This operation should be under constant supervision from officials of the counting centre. The official responsible for reception of the ballot boxes should verify that the seals are unbroken, and that sealed envelopes are attached to the ballot boxes.

If all safeguards are in order, a sticker, coloured tape, or other type of symbolic identification could be placed on the ballot boxes as they are removed from the vehicle. This will indicate that these ballot boxes are verified and ready to be counted. This measure can also help to prevent the counting a ballot box twice, or missing a ballot box in the count.

The ballot boxes that are ready to be counted should be in a location where they will not be mixed with ballot boxes already counted.

Once all the ballot boxes are unloaded from the truck, a last verification count of the number received against the number expected via the transport logs should be done. Once the receiving officer at the counting centre is satisfied all materials have been received, the handover form is completed and signed. A receipt form can be issued to the driver to verify delivery completion.

If the seals on ballot boxes are broken or there is any sign of possible tampering, these ballot boxes should be set aside in a separate area quarantined, and not mixed with others. A special procedure should be executed including dedicated officers trained to investigate such cases. A report for each of them should be written and signed by officials, drivers, representatives of political parties and candidates, and observers present during the transportation.

These ballot boxes should be clearly identified as “not to be opened”, with a label or other form of sticker, to ensure they will not be confused with “ready-to-be-counted” ballot boxes. Any matter of possible tampering should immediately be addressed to the electoral management body so they can start an investigation.

Until further notice from the electoral management body, these ballot boxes should be left untouched and secured.