MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE

1998 Regular Session

To: Elections

By: Senator(s) Harden

AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 23-15-211, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO REQUIRE COUNTY ELECTION COMMISSIONERS AND CERTAIN POLITICAL PARTY EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEMBERS TO RECEIVE CERTAIN TRAINING ON HOW TO CONDUCT AN ELECTION; TO REQUIRE COUNTY ELECTION COMMISSIONERS TO RECEIVE CERTAIN TRAINING ON HOW TO MAINTAIN ACCURATE VOTER REGISTRATION RECORDS; 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) (a) The Secretary of State shall annually conduct and sponsor training sessions for election officials. Election commissioners and chairpersons of each political party executive committee or their designee shall be required to attend these sessions. These training sessions shall include a session of not less than four (4) hours on how to conduct an election.

(b) The Secretary of State shall annually conduct a training session of not less than two (2) hours on how to maintain accurate voter registration records. County election commissioners shall be required to attend these sessions.

(c) The training required by this subsection shall be included in the training for which election commissioners are compensated pursuant to subsection (2) of this section.

(4) Each participant shall receive a certificate from the Secretary of State indicating that the named participant has received the required instruction * * *.

SECTION 2. The Attorney General of the State of Mississippi is hereby directed to 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.