2013 Mississippi Code
Title 23 - ELECTIONS
Chapter 15 - MISSISSIPPI ELECTION CODE
Article 7 - ELECTION OFFICIALS
§ 23-15-211 - Board of election commissioners and registrar; elections training seminar; certification of seminar participants; compensation of commissioners attending seminar; authorization by Secretary of State of additional training days; comprehensive poll worker training program; computer skills training and refresher courses for circuit clerks

(1) There shall be:

(a) 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;

(b) 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

(c) 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 in the county.

(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, except as otherwise provided in this section, 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. Commissioners of election shall annually file the certificate with the chancery clerk. If any commissioner of election shall fail to file the certificate by April 30 of each year, his office shall be vacated, absent exigent circumstances as determined by the board of supervisors and consistent with the facts. The vacancy shall be declared by the board of supervisors and the vacancy shall be filled in the manner described by law. Prior to declaring the office vacant, the board of supervisors shall give the election commissioner notice and the opportunity for a hearing.

(5) The Secretary of State, upon approval of the board of supervisors, may authorize not more than eight (8) additional training days per year for commissioners of election in one or more counties. The board of supervisors of each county shall pay members of the county election commission for attending training on these days a per diem in the amount provided in Section 23-15-153.

(6) 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.

(7) The Secretary of State shall develop, in conjunction with the State Board for Community and Junior Colleges:

(a) A computer skills training course for all newly elected circuit clerks that shall be completed within one hundred eighty (180) days of the commencement of their term of office; and

(b) A computer skills refresher course for all serving circuit clerks that shall be completed within one hundred eighty (180) days of the commencement of every odd-numbered term of service.