MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE
2021 Regular Session
To: Apportionment and Elections; County Affairs
By: Representative Clark
AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 23-15-227, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO AUTHORIZE MILEAGE REIMBURSEMENT FOR ANY POLL MANAGER OR OTHER PERSON WHO WAS PRESENT AT THE VOTING PRECINCT AND WAS REQUIRED TO RETURN TO THE REGISTRAR'S OFFICE AFTER THE POLLS CLOSE ON THE DAY OF THE ELECTION; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI:
SECTION 1. Section 23-15-227, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:
23-15-227. (1) The poll managers shall be each entitled to Seventy-five Dollars ($75.00) for each election; however, the board of supervisors may, in its discretion, pay the poll managers an additional amount not to exceed Fifty Dollars ($50.00) per election.
(2) The board of supervisors may, in its discretion, pay the poll managers an additional amount not to exceed Fifty Dollars ($50.00) per any election occurring from July 1, 2020, through December 31, 2020, which shall be considered additional pandemic pay.
(3) The poll manager who * * * carries to the place of
voting, away from the courthouse, the official ballots, ballot boxes, pollbooks
and other necessities, shall be allowed Ten Dollars ($10.00) for each voting
precinct for * * *
that service. The poll manager who acts as returning officer shall be allowed
Ten Dollars ($10.00) for each voting precinct for that service. If a person
who performs the duties described in this subsection uses a privately owned
motor vehicle to perform them, he or she shall receive for each mile actually
and necessarily traveled in excess of ten (10) miles, the mileage reimbursement
rate allowable to federal employees for the use of a privately owned vehicle
while on official travel. If the registrar requires any poll manager or
other person who was present at the voting precinct to return to the
registrar's office after the polls close on the day of the election, then that
person shall receive for each mile actually and necessarily traveled in excess
of ten (10) miles, the mileage reimbursement rate allowable to federal employees
for the use of a privately owned vehicle while on official travel to the
registrar's office.
(4) The compensation authorized in this section shall be allowed by the board of supervisors, and shall be payable out of the county treasury; provided, however, that any compensation for additional pandemic pay due to a public health emergency may be payable from federal funds available for such purpose, or a combination of both county and federal funding sources.
(5) The compensation provided in this section shall constitute payment in full for the services rendered by the persons named for any election, whether there be one (1) election or issue voted upon, or more than one (1) election or issue voted upon at the same time.
(6) The Secretary of State shall promulgate rules and regulations as are necessary to ensure the safety of poll managers, election commissioners, electors and their families at the voting precincts during a COVID-19 public health risk or other public health risk declared by the Governor where the appearance of such persons may result in exposure to such risk or the exposure of other persons to such risk.
SECTION 2. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 2021.