No list, tally paper or certificate returned from any election shall be set aside or rejected for want of form, if it can be satisfactorily understood. The board of directors must meet at its usual place of meeting on the first Monday after election and canvass the returns. If at the time of meeting the returns from each precinct in the district in which the polls were open have been received, the board of directors must then and there proceed to canvass the returns; but if all the returns have not been received, the canvass must be postponed from day to day until the returns have been received, or until six postponements have been had. The canvass must be made in public and by opening the returns and counting the votes cast for each person voted for, or as to each question voted upon, and declaring the results thereof. The board shall declare elected the person receiving the highest number of votes so returned for each office and also declare the result as to any question submitted.