MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE
2006 Regular Session
To: County Affairs; Apportionment and Elections
By: Representative Walley
AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 23-15-211, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO INCREASE THE NUMBER OF ANNUAL PAID TRAINING DAYS FOR COMMISSIONERS OF ELECTION; 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:
[Until June 30, 2008, this section shall read 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 commission for attending training events a per diem in the amount provided in Section 23-15-153; however, the per diem shall not be paid to an election commissioner for more than twelve (12) 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 twelve (12) 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) The Secretary of State shall develop a single, comprehensive poll worker training program to assist local election officials in providing uniform, secure elections throughout the state. The program shall include, at a minimum, training on all state and federal election laws and procedures.
[From and after July 1, 2008, this section shall read 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 commission for attending training events a per diem in the amount provided in Section 23-15-153; however, the 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) The Secretary of State shall develop a single, comprehensive poll worker training program to assist local election officials in providing uniform, secure elections throughout the state. The program shall include, at a minimum, training on all state and federal election laws and procedures.
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.