| 16 | 18 | | Relating to boards of registrars; to amend Sections |
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| 17 | 19 | | 17-3-2, 17-3-5, and 17-3-8, Code of Alabama 1975; to further |
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| 18 | 20 | | provide for the membership of the boards of registrars; to |
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| 19 | 21 | | further provide for the qualifications of registrars and |
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| 20 | 22 | | establish hours of operation; to increase the salary of each |
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| 21 | 23 | | registrar; and to make nonsubstantive, technical revisions to |
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| 22 | 24 | | update the existing code language to current |
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| 23 | 25 | | style. |
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| 24 | 26 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF ALABAMA: |
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| 25 | 27 | | Section 1. Sections 17-3-2, 17-3-5, and 17-3-8, Code of |
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| 26 | 28 | | Alabama 1975, are amended to read as follows: |
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| 27 | 29 | | "§17-3-2 |
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| 28 | 30 | | (a)(1) Registration shall be conducted in each county |
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| 29 | 31 | | by a board of three reputable and suitable persons individuals |
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| 30 | 32 | | to be appointed, unless otherwise provided by law, by the |
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| 31 | 33 | | Governor, Auditor, and Commissioner of Agriculture and |
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| 32 | 34 | | Industries, or by a majority of them acting as a state board |
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| 33 | 35 | | of appointment. In making appointments on or after October 1, |
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| 34 | 36 | | 2025, the state board of appointment shall consider the |
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| 35 | 37 | | racial, gender, urban, rural, and economic diversity of the |
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| 70 | 72 | | b. Have a high school diploma or equivalent ;, and |
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| 71 | 73 | | possess the minimum computer and map reading skills necessary |
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| 72 | 74 | | to function in the office |
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| 73 | 75 | | c. Possess excellent communication skills evident by |
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| 74 | 76 | | reportable experience in areas such as electronic mail, online |
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| 75 | 77 | | communications, and use of multi-line telephones; |
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| 76 | 78 | | d. Demonstrate intermediate level experience and |
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| 77 | 79 | | proficiency in data processing and use of computer programs |
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| 78 | 80 | | used in the current day-to-day workplace, including, but not |
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| 79 | 81 | | limited to, web-based operating systems; |
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| 80 | 82 | | e. Demonstrate the ability to download and upload |
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| 81 | 83 | | reports and files and conduct spreadsheet manipulation; and |
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| 82 | 84 | | f. Demonstrate the ability to operate office equipment, |
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| 83 | 85 | | including printers, copiers, scanners, and cameras . |
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| 84 | 86 | | (3) The Secretary of State shall prescribe guidelines |
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| 85 | 87 | | to assist the state board of appointment in determining the |
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| 86 | 88 | | qualifications of registrars. The registrars shall not hold an |
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| 87 | 89 | | elective office during their term. One of the members shall be |
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| 88 | 90 | | designated by the state board of appointment as chair of the |
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| 89 | 91 | | board of registrars for each county. |
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| 90 | 92 | | (b) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (a), |
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| 91 | 93 | | the Legislature may provide by local law for the appointment |
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| 92 | 94 | | of additional members to the board of registrars for a county |
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| 93 | 95 | | that has two courthouses. |
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| 128 | 130 | | general law of local application providing for the appointment |
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| 129 | 131 | | of any member of the board of registrars in the county shall |
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| 130 | 132 | | remain in full force and effect and shall not be repealed by |
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| 131 | 133 | | operation of this chapter." |
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| 132 | 134 | | "§17-3-5 |
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| 133 | 135 | | (a) Each registrar shall receive a salary in the amount |
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| 134 | 136 | | of eighty dollars ($80) one hundred fifteen dollars ($115) per |
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| 135 | 137 | | day for each day's attendance upon business of the board, to |
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| 136 | 138 | | be paid by the state and disbursed to the county commissions |
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| 137 | 139 | | and disbursed by the county commissions to each registrar on |
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| 138 | 140 | | order of a quorum of the board of registrars of the county. |
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| 139 | 141 | | The state Comptroller shall issue to each county commission on |
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| 140 | 142 | | a monthly basis an amount sufficient to fund these payments |
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| 141 | 143 | | plus the employer share of the Social Security or Federal |
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| 142 | 144 | | Insurance Corporation Act tax. The county commission will |
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| 143 | 145 | | provide to the state Comptroller an invoice itemized to |
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| 144 | 146 | | reflect payments made. If a legal holiday falls on a day the |
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| 145 | 147 | | board is to be in session, and the courthouse of the county is |
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| 146 | 148 | | closed for the holiday, the board of registrars shall be |
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| 147 | 149 | | compensated for the holiday. Each registrar shall receive a |
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| 148 | 150 | | mileage allowance equal to the amount allowed state employees |
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| 149 | 151 | | or employees of the county, whichever is greater, for official |
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| 150 | 152 | | travel in the course of attending the business of the board, |
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| 151 | 153 | | including attending continuing education programs. Travel and |
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| 186 | 188 | | (b) The provisions of this section regarding travel |
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| 187 | 189 | | mileage shall not apply in any county having a population of |
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| 188 | 190 | | 600,000 or more inhabitants according to the 1970 or any |
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| 189 | 191 | | succeeding most current federal decennial census, and any |
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| 190 | 192 | | currently effective local law or general law of local |
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| 191 | 193 | | application regarding travel mileage for registrars in the |
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| 192 | 194 | | county shall remain in full force and effect and shall not be |
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| 193 | 195 | | repealed by operation of this chapter. |
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| 194 | 196 | | (c) Members of the boards of registrars of this state |
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| 195 | 197 | | are hereby declared to be state employees for the purposes of |
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| 196 | 198 | | Chapter 28 of Title 36. |
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| 197 | 199 | | (d) Members of the boards of registrars of this state |
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| 198 | 200 | | shall be treated as equals with other state and county |
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| 199 | 201 | | employees in regard to Social Security protection and |
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| 200 | 202 | | benefits. |
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| 201 | 203 | | (e) All payments by a county to any member of a county |
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| 202 | 204 | | board of registrars ,(except for mileage or reimbursement for |
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| 203 | 205 | | expenses,) shall be treated for Social Security purposes |
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| 204 | 206 | | equally with payments by that county to other county employees |
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| 205 | 207 | | of the county. |
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| 206 | 208 | | (f) The state office for Social Security and the state |
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| 207 | 209 | | Comptroller and each county commission are directed to shall |
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| 208 | 210 | | take all necessary action to insure ensure that members of the |
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| 209 | 211 | | boards of registrars of this state are treated as other state |
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| 244 | 246 | | Legislature as expressed herein. |
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| 245 | 247 | | (g) No county commission may reduce the current county |
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| 246 | 248 | | supplement upon the effect of this section by implementation |
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| 247 | 249 | | of Act 94-693. |
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| 248 | 250 | | (h)(1) A county commission may allow the chair or any |
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| 249 | 251 | | member of the county board of registrars who has served at |
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| 250 | 252 | | least 16 years in that position to participate in any health |
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| 251 | 253 | | insurance program provided by the county upon the same terms, |
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| 252 | 254 | | conditions, and employee contributions as required for county |
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| 253 | 255 | | employees. |
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| 254 | 256 | | (2) This subsection shall not apply to any health |
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| 255 | 257 | | insurance plans administered by the State of Alabama as |
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| 256 | 258 | | described in Title 36, Chapter 29 and Title 11, Chapter 91A." |
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| 257 | 259 | | "§17-3-8 |
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| 258 | 260 | | (a) Each member of the board of registrars in the |
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| 259 | 261 | | Counties of Clay, Cleburne, Coosa, Dallas, Escambia, Geneva, |
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| 260 | 262 | | Lowndes, Perry, Sumter, and Wilcox may meet a maximum of 120 |
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| 261 | 263 | | working days each fiscal year; each member of the board of |
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| 262 | 264 | | registrars in the Counties of Barbour, Butler, Fayette, |
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| 263 | 265 | | Greene, Marengo, Pickens, Pike, Randolph, and Winston may meet |
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| 264 | 266 | | a maximum of 168 working days each fiscal year, except in Pike |
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| 265 | 267 | | County each board of registrars may meet up to an additional |
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| 266 | 268 | | 30 session days each fiscal year, at the discretion of the |
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| 267 | 269 | | chair of the county commission, and such days shall be paid |
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| 302 | 304 | | may meet up to an additional 30 session days each fiscal year, |
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| 303 | 305 | | at the discretion of the chair of the county commission; each |
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| 304 | 306 | | member of the board of registrars in the Counties of Dale, |
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| 305 | 307 | | Franklin, Houston, Marion, Marshall, Bullock, Macon, and |
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| 306 | 308 | | Tuscaloosa may meet a maximum of 216 working days each fiscal |
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| 307 | 309 | | year; and each member of the board of registrars in Russell |
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| 308 | 310 | | County may meet a maximum of 177 working days each fiscal |
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| 309 | 311 | | year. |
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| 310 | 312 | | (b) In the Counties of Choctaw, Colbert, Cullman, |
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| 311 | 313 | | Lauderdale, and Monroe, each member of the board of registrars |
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| 312 | 314 | | may meet a maximum of 199 working days each fiscal year. |
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| 313 | 315 | | (c)(1) Each member of the Board of Registrars of |
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| 314 | 316 | | Autauga, Elmore, and Bibb Counties may meet a maximum of 187 |
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| 315 | 317 | | working days each fiscal year. Each member of the Board of |
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| 316 | 318 | | Registrars of Walker County may meet a maximum of 200 days |
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| 317 | 319 | | each fiscal year, and each member of the Board of Registrars |
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| 318 | 320 | | of Lamar, Cherokee, Clarke, Conecuh, Crenshaw, Hale, and |
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| 319 | 321 | | Washington Counties may meet a maximum of 140 days each fiscal |
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| 320 | 322 | | year. Each member of the board of registrars in the following |
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| 321 | 323 | | counties may meet the following maximum number of working days |
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| 322 | 324 | | each fiscal year: Henry - 140 working days; Covington - 188 |
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| 323 | 325 | | working days; DeKalb, Jackson, and Blount - 207 working days; |
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| 324 | 326 | | Chambers - 180 working days; and Lawrence - 200 working days. |
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| 325 | 327 | | (2) Notwithstanding Section 17-3-5, the 60 additional |
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| 360 | 362 | | Counties of Baldwin, Calhoun, Chilton, Etowah, Limestone, Lee, |
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| 361 | 363 | | Madison, Mobile, Montgomery, St. Clair, and Morgan are |
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| 362 | 364 | | authorized to meet not more than five days each week for the |
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| 363 | 365 | | purpose of carrying out their official duties. Jefferson |
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| 364 | 366 | | County, which is now operating under the provisions of local |
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| 365 | 367 | | laws, shall be exempted from this section. Provided, however, |
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| 366 | 368 | | that where the term each year is used in the local laws the |
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| 367 | 369 | | term means each fiscal year. |
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| 368 | 370 | | (e) The actual number of working days to be used as |
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| 369 | 371 | | session days shall be determined by a quorum of the board of |
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| 370 | 372 | | registrars according to the needs of the county. |
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| 371 | 373 | | (f) As many as 25 of the allotted working days may be |
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| 372 | 374 | | used for special registration sessions (i.e., those sessions |
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| 373 | 375 | | held away from the courthouse in the several precincts of the |
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| 374 | 376 | | county or sessions held on Saturday or between the hours of |
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| 375 | 377 | | 5:00 p.m. and 9:00 p.m.). Notice of any special session |
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| 376 | 378 | | scheduled by the board shall be given at least 10 days prior |
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| 377 | 379 | | to the special session by: (1) Bills posted at three or more |
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| 378 | 380 | | public places in each election precinct affected, if the |
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| 379 | 381 | | session involves precinct visits; and (2) advertisement once a |
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| 380 | 382 | | week for two successive weeks in a newspaper published in the |
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| 381 | 383 | | county or by radio or television announcements on a local |
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| 382 | 384 | | station, or both by newspaper or announcement. |
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| 383 | 385 | | (g) Notwithstanding Section 17-3-5, the 60 additional |
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