Before declaring the polls open, the inspector and the election judges shall inspect the ballot box to assure that it is empty. The ballot box must then be locked. While the polls are open, the ballot box must remain locked except as may be necessary to clear a ballot jam or to move voted ballots to a separate locked ballot box to make room for additional ballots.
N.D. Cent. Code § 16.1-13-20
Examination of ballot box before opening of polls - Regulations for ballot box while polls are open
Official source: North Dakota Legislative Branch. Reproduced from public-domain North Dakota statutes; confirm against the official source for the current text. Not legal advice.