New Jersey Statutes § 19:16-7 Reading, stringing of ballots

The board in the actual procedure of counting the ballots shall thereupon unlock and open the ballot box; the ballots shall then be taken singly and separately therefrom by the judge of the election, and while each ballot shall remain in his hands, he shall audibly and publicly read the same in full view of the inspector. The inspector shall be satisfied that the ballot is being correctly read by the judge.

After the reading of the ballot, including a ballot determined to be void, and before taking another ballot from the box, the judge shall fold the ballot to a size about five inches square, and shall deliver the same so folded to the inspector, who shall write on the back thereof the number of such ballot from one onward, in the order in which the same shall have been taken from the box; and shall string the ballot as one ticket in the order in which the same shall be taken from the box and numbered, by means of a needle and string to be provided for that purpose.