MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE

1998 Regular Session

To: Apportionment and Elections

By: Representative Denny

AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 23-15-211, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO REQUIRE ADDITIONAL TRAINING FOR COUNTY ELECTION COMMISSIONERS; TO PROVIDE THAT NO COMPENSATION WILL BE AUTHORIZED OR APPROVED FOR COMMISSIONERS WHO FAIL TO COMPLETE TRAINING REQUIREMENTS; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES. 

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI:

SECTION 1. Section 23-15-211, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

23-15-211. (1) There shall be a State Board of Election Commissioners to consist of the Governor, the Secretary of State and the Attorney General, any two (2) of whom may perform the duties required of the board; a board of election commissioners in each county to consist of five (5) persons who are electors in the county in which they are to act; and a registrar in each county who shall be the clerk of the circuit court, unless he shall be shown to be an improper person to register the names of the electors therein.

(2) The board of supervisors of each county shall pay members of the county election commissioners for attending training events a per diem in the amount provided in Section 23-15-153; however, such per diem shall not be paid to an election commissioner for more than six (6) days of training per year and shall only be paid to election commissioners who actually attend and complete a training event and obtain a training certificate.

(3) Included in this six (6) days shall be an elections seminar, conducted and sponsored by the Secretary of State. Election commissioners and chairpersons of each political party executive committee or their designee shall be required to attend.

(4) Each participant shall receive a certificate from the Secretary of State indicating that the named participant has received the elections training seminar instruction and that each participant is fully qualified to conduct an election.

(5) In addition to the above, each county election commissioner shall be required to attend an additional four-hour seminar on how to maintain accurate voter registration records. The seminar shall be conducted and sponsored by the Secretary of State. This additional requirement does not apply to municipal election commissioners.

(6) Any county election commissioner who fails to complete the above training requirements during any calendar year shall not receive any compensation until the training requirements are met.

(7) The Secretary of State, not later than January 10 of each year, shall submit a list of county election commissioners, who have completed the training requirements, to the appropriate local officials responsible for paying county election commissioners. The local officials shall not authorize or approve any payment to any county election commissioner who has not completed the required training for the period beginning January 1 and ending when the county election commissioner presents satisfactory proof that he has completed the training requirements for the previous year. Any training completed to satisfy the prior year's requirements shall not be credited towards meeting the current year's requirements.

SECTION 2. The Attorney General of the State of Mississippi shall submit this act, immediately upon approval by the Governor, or upon approval by the Legislature subsequent to a veto, to the Attorney General of the United States or to the United States District Court for the District of Columbia in accordance with the provisions of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, as amended and extended.

SECTION 3. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after the date it is effectuated under Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, as amended and extended.