19 Jun 2015: Contract Between DEC and Circuit Clerk

Blogger: The following is the contract between the Tunica County DEC and the Tunica County Circuit Clerk.

Now, what you will find at the end of this post is a bunch of scribbled mess.  We have been working on this all day and cannot get the signatures to print, scan or upload.  We have taken pictures with various devices and nothing has worked.  It is 8:30p and I am tired of working with this problem.

Therefore, I am typing what is at the bottom of the contract.  If this is not good enough, and you want a hard copy, you are welcome to come by our house and I will provide you with a hard copy of your very own.

The last paragraph of the contract reads as follows:

"In the conduct of the duties outlined above, the Circuit Clerk will assume a support role to the Tunica County Party Executive Committees and at no time will they usurp the legal responsibilities of the Party Executive Committee.

Singer this the 19th day of June, 2015. 

Signature: Mark E. Hudson (Vice-Chairman)
Chairman, Tunica County Democratic Executive Committee

Signature: Blank
Chairman, Tunica County Election Commission

Signature: Sharon G. Reynolds
Tunica County Circuit Clerk"

Here's the contract and the scribbles below it.

TUNICA COUNTY,MISSISSIPPI

Between

State Party Executive Committees

And

Tunica County Election Commissioner or Circuit Clerks

STATEMENT OF INTENT: Inorder to insure that Party Primaries are conducted in the most efficient manner possible consistent with providing ALL qualified and duly registered voters of Tunica County the opportunity to cast their vote for the candidate(s) of their choice, the Tunica Democrat Party Executive Committees hereby enter into agreement with the Tunica County (Jesse Clay, Jr. or Circuit Clerk) to assist them in conducting Primary Elections as outlined below:(Authority:Miss. Code ann.23-15-239; 23-15-265; 23-15-266; 23-15-267; 23-15-333;  23-15-335; 23-15-597).

REASONS AND BASIS:(Tunica County) has acquired the touch-screen electronic voting system to be used in all elections. Selected Poll Workers must be technically proficient and trained in the employment of the system to include procedures for opening the polls, instructing the voter, printing ''zero"tapes upon opening, closing the polls by collecting votes from each terminal, printing and documenting results,collecting results for return to Election Central and supervise othe in the performance of their duties.  Poll Managers must be proficient in the.use of the Ballot Encoders, explaining procedures, and conducting the primary election.

Election Commissioners, and other key election personnel, have received technical factory training in the preparation of ballots, election set-up, use of the system,care, handling and maintenance, and when needed, the conduct of training of precinct managers and poll workers.

Without relinquishing their legal responsibilities in the conduct of Primary Elections, the Tunica County Party Executive Committees agrees to assistance provided by the Circuit Clerk as outlined below.

Article I (OPTIONAL):Mandatory training of managers and Clerk: (Authority: Miss. Code ann. 23-15-239).

Circuit Clerk agrees to conduct any and all training required of all managers and poll workers. Executive Committees shall attend and monitor this training and insure attendance of their party workers.

Article 2 (OPTIONAL): Appointment of Managers and Clerks:(Authority :Miss Code ann. 23-15-265).

a.      The Circuit Clerk may select and appoint Poll Managers to occupy positions separately for each party at designated areas within the polling place and appropriately marked by party.  These workers will received the voters, conduct name search in the poll book; write ''voted"in the poll book opposite voter's name, secure voter's signature in the voter's register and direct voter to the poll worker managing the Ballot Encoder.  There will be one Encoder Programmer for each party.  The Encoder will only be able to program a ballot for the party they are assisting.  These workers must attend County Election Poll Worker Certification Training.

b.      The Circuit Clerk will appoint a transporter to pick-up, deliver to the precinct, set­ up and return the touch screen machines following poll closing. The Selected Poll worker responsible for opening and closing procedures will be selected and trained by the Circuit Clerk due to the technical nature of the systems. The poll workers (one for each party) charged with activating the ballot using the Ballot Encoder will be selected by the Circuit Clerk. Personnel selected by the Circuit Clerk will be sworn to impartiality.  Opening and closing procedures will be observed by the party workers selected by the Party Executives and those workers will monitor the opening/closing process and sign the tapes acknowledging supervision of the results process.

Article  3  (OPTIONAL):Pick-up and return of ballot boxes: (Authority: Miss Code ann. 23-15-267).

a.      Ballot boxes and supply boxes will be packed under the supervision of the Circuit Clerk and will include the poll books, registers, and adequate supplies.

b.     Circuit Clerk will designate poll workers to pick-up ballot boxes on Monday afternoon prior to the election on Tuesday, They will also return ballot boxes to Election Central following closing of the polls. These workers must attend training.

Article  4  (OPTIONAL):Ballot creation and distribution: (Authority: Miss. Code ann. 23- 15-333;23-15-335).

Managers will be appointed by the Circuit Clerk to create, receive, and distribute ballots. These duties can be done in part and whole.

Article 5 (Optional):Appointment of additional managers and clerks (Authority: Miss. Code ann. 23-15-235).

Parties will coordinate with the Circuit Clerk to insure adequate workers are appointed within expected voter turn-out

Article 6 (Optional): Canvas of returns and announcement of results by the Circuit Clerk: (Authority: Miss. Code ann. 23-15-597). 

The Executive Committee representative will be present during the collection of results from the precincts at Election Central. They will observe all procedures of receiving, recording, transfer of results and printing hard copies for the Executive Committees.

In the conduct of the duties outlined above,the Circuit Clerk will assume a support role to the Tunica County Party Executive Committees and at no time will they usurp the legal responsibilities of the Party Executive Committees.

Signed this the      /q#,

fltar cl

day of     {iltAf

c ,u

, 2015.

Chairman, Tunica County Democratic Executive Committee

Chairman, Tunica County Election  Commission

Blogger:  I have one more thing to say about this process.  I have worked as a poll watcher for various candidates at the Tunica Library at least three times.  On these three occasions the same Poll Managers were there.  This means they have gone through training at least 3 times.  And they didn't know that 27 affidavit ballots weren't completed correctly?  Somebody needs to be screaming and it needs to be someone other then me this time.