Notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter, the board of election of any municipality may open absentee ballot envelopes in a public meeting in order to prepare them to be counted. Such meeting shall take place, upon proper notice, at any time between 8:00 a.m. of the day prior to the election and up to 1 hour before the polls are scheduled to open. The municipality shall notify each candidate on the ballot that they may have challengers at the meeting during which the board of election opens the absentee ballots. At such meeting, the board of elections shall act in accordance with the same procedures as set out in § 7578(1), (2), (3), and (5)(a) through (d) of this title inclusive, with the exception that the absentee ballot judges shall not proceed to tally the votes for any group of ballots but shall then secure such ballots, ballot envelopes, and any rejected ballot envelopes in a carrier envelope along with the log sheet showing the serial number of the log sheet. The absentee ballot judges shall then seal the carrier envelope or envelopes and deliver it/them to the board of elections. The board of elections shall then secure the carrier envelope or envelopes in locked cabinets until opened at a subsequent public meeting to tally the ballots on the day of the election in accordance with § 7578(4) and (6) through (10) of this title.

76 Del. Laws, c. 52, § ?2;