§ Miss. Code § 23-15-239Mandatory training of managers and clerks

(1) (a) The executive committee of each county, in the case of a primary election, or the
commissioners of election of each county, in the case of all other elections, in conjunction with
the circuit clerk, shall sponsor and conduct, not less than five (5) days prior to each election,
training sessions to instruct managers as to their duties in the proper administration of the
election and the operation of the polling place. No manager shall serve in any election unless he
has received such instructions once during the twelve (12) months immediately preceding the
date upon which such election is held; however, nothing in this section shall prevent the
appointment of an alternate manager to fill a vacancy in case of an emergency. The county
executive committee or the commissioners of election, as appropriate, shall train a sufficient
number of alternates to serve in the event a manager is unable to serve for any reason.
(b) The executive committee of each county, in the case of a primary election, or the
commissioners of election of each county, in the case of all other elections, in conjunction with
the circuit clerk, shall sponsor and conduct annually an eight-hour training course for managers
that meets criteria that the Secretary of State shall prescribe. Managers shall be required to attend
this course every four (4) years from August 7, 2008. The Secretary of State shall develop a
version of the course that may be taken by managers over the Internet. Training courses,
including, but not limited to, online training courses, that meet criteria prescribed by the
Secretary of State and are not sponsored or conducted by the executive committee or the
commissioners of election, may be utilized to meet the requirements of this paragraph if the
training course is approved by the Secretary of State.
(2) (a) If it is eligible under Section 23-15-266, the county executive committee may enter
into a written agreement with the circuit clerk or the county election commission authorizing the
circuit clerk or the county election commission to perform any of the duties required of the
county executive committee pursuant to this section. Any agreement entered into pursuant to this
subsection shall be signed by the chairman of the county executive committee and the circuit
clerk or the chairman of the county election commission, as appropriate. The county executive
committee shall notify the state executive committee and the Secretary of State of the existence
of such agreement.
(b) If it is eligible under Section 23-15-266, the municipal executive committee may enter
into a written agreement with the municipal clerk or the municipal election commission
authorizing the municipal clerk or the municipal election commission to perform any of the
duties required of the municipal executive committee pursuant to this section. Any agreement
entered into pursuant to this subsection shall be signed by the chairman of the municipal
executive committee and the municipal clerk or the chairman of the municipal election
commission, as appropriate. The municipal executive committee shall notify the state executive
committee and the Secretary of State of the existence of such agreement.
(3) The board of supervisors, in their discretion, may compensate managers who attend such
training sessions. The compensation shall be at a rate of not less than the federal hourly
minimum wage nor more than Twelve Dollars ($12.00) per hour. Managers shall not be
compensated for more than sixteen (16) hours of attendance at the training sessions regardless of
the actual amount of time that they attended the training sessions.
(4) The time and location of the training sessions required pursuant to this section shall be
announced to the general public by posting a notice thereof at the courthouse and by delivering a
copy of the notice to the office of a newspaper having general circulation in the county five (5)
days before the date upon which the training session is to be conducted. Persons who will serve
as poll watchers for candidates and political parties, as well as members of the general public,
shall be allowed to attend the sessions.
(5) Subject to the following annual limitations, the commissioners of election shall be
entitled to receive a per diem in the amount of Eighty-four Dollars ($84.00), to be paid from the
county general fund, for every day or period of no less than five (5) hours accumulated over two
(2) or more days actually employed in the performance of their duties for the necessary time
spent in conducting training sessions as required by this section:
(a) In counties having less than fifteen thousand (15,000) residents according to the latest
federal decennial census, not more than five (5) days per year;
(b) In counties having fifteen thousand (15,000) residents according to the latest federal
decennial census but less than thirty thousand (30,000) residents according to the latest federal
decennial census, not more than eight (8) days per year;
(c) In counties having thirty thousand (30,000) residents according to the latest federal
decennial census but less than seventy thousand (70,000) residents according to the latest federal
decennial census, not more than ten (10) days per year;
(d) In counties having seventy thousand (70,000) residents according to the latest federal
decennial census but less than ninety thousand (90,000) residents according to the latest federal
decennial census, not more than twelve (12) days per year;
(e) In counties having ninety thousand (90,000) residents according to the latest federal
decennial census but less than one hundred seventy thousand (170,000) residents according to
the latest federal decennial census, not more than fifteen (15) days per year;
(f) In counties having one hundred seventy thousand (170,000) residents according to the
latest federal decennial census but less than two hundred thousand (200,000) residents according
to the latest federal decennial census, not more than eighteen (18) days per year;
(g) In counties having two hundred thousand (200,000) residents according to the latest
federal decennial census but less than two hundred twenty-five thousand (225,000) residents
according to the latest federal decennial census, not more than nineteen (19) days per year;
(h) In counties having two hundred twenty-five thousand (225,000) residents according to the
latest federal decennial census but less than two hundred fifty thousand (250,000) residents
according to the latest federal decennial census, not more than twenty-two (22) days per year;
(i) In counties having two hundred fifty thousand (250,000) residents according to the latest
federal decennial census but less than two hundred seventy-five thousand (275,000) residents
according to the latest federal decennial census, not more than thirteen (13) days per year;
(j) In counties having two hundred seventy-five thousand (275,000) residents according to the
latest federal decennial census or more, not more than fourteen (14) days per year.
(6) Commissioners of election shall claim the per diem authorized in subsection (5) of this
section in the manner provided for in Section 23-15-153(6).