(a) As soon as the polls are closed on the day of election, the judges shall open the ballot box and commence counting votes.

(b) The counting of the ballots shall in all cases be public. The ballots shall be taken out carefully, one by one, by the chairman or one of the judges, who shall open them and read aloud the name of each person contained thereon, and the office for which every such person is voted for, and any issues on the ballot.

(c) An election judge shall write down each office to be filled and the name of each person voted for such office and issues on the ballot, and shall keep the number of votes by tallies as they are read aloud by the chairman or judges. The counting of the votes, once begun, shall be continued without adjournment until all are counted. [Code 1979 § 5.19.]