As long as it's counted right in the precinct, and the recount is too.
If the recount is done a day later after the ballots have been moved to a central location, all integrity is lost.
When I lived a few towns South, I voted in a guy's garage- he volunteered (this was Redondo Beach). But after the election he got his garage back and the ballots went somewhere else.
My polling place was
a residence.
I think we had an election here in the past 20 years where the sitting mayor (who was up for re-election) had a polling center in his own garage. He may have been prohibited from going there on election day but it still stinks.
I agree. The count must take place immediately after the polls close. If the count is done simply and openly with sufficient observers (at least 1 per issue/candidate, not simply 1 per 'party'), the resultant vote could be considered final with no recounts necessary.
If all parties present and responsible for the tally signed off on the counts there would probably be no need for the preservation of the ballots after the counts have been locally and publicly posted, recorded, and reliably transferred to the Secretary's of State or whoever is responsible for the total count of all precincts.