Election Commission talks poll worker mileage
Mar. 2—Poll workers helping with Lauderdale County elections may be missing out on some of the money they are due, election commissioners said Thursday.
In a Board of Supervisors work session, Election Commissioner Awana Simmons said a recent conference call with state election officials highlighted a section of state law requiring certain poll workers be reimbursed for milage expenses.
Returning and receiving managers are tasked with taking the secure transfer cases to the voting precincts ahead of polls opening and bringing them back to the Lauderdale County Circuit Clerk's office after polls close. To compensate them for the additional duties, the managers are paid an additional $25 for picking up the transfer cases and $25 for bringing them back.
According to state law, Simmons said, returning and receiving managers should also receive a mileage reimbursement at the federal reimbursement level for any distance over 10 miles they drive while transporting the cases. Lauderdale County, she said, has not been doing that.
"We have been just paying the $50," she said.
Board Attorney Lee Thaggard said the statute, which was provided by the election commissioners for supervisors to review Thursday, is very clear that the managers "shall" receive mileage reimbursement. From a legal standpoint, he said, there isn't much left for interpretation.
"It's pretty straightforward," he said.
Election Commissioner Gloria Dancy said she and her fellow commissioners will need to come up with a way to document the distances traveled by each returning and receiving manager. That information can then be shared with county administration to get the ball rolling on payment.
County Administrator Chris Lafferty said the mileage reimbursement may be new to the election commission, but it is something his office deals with quite frequently. He said he and the commissioners will need to sit down and go over some of the details, but the process itself will not be complicated.
"It's super easy," he said. "We do stuff like this all the time."
As primary elections near, supervisors also discussed the need for security at the old Lauderdale County Courthouse, now the Lauderdale County Archives and History Building, on Constitution Avenue. Circuit Clerk Donna Jill Johnson and the election commission have yet to relocate to the new building on 22nd Avenue and are still occupying their old courthouse offices.
Supervisor J.J. Anders said he supports security through the primary election to help keep everyone safe during the election process. Once the primary results are certified, he said, the county can look at moving the commissioners and Johnson into their new office spaces.
Supervisor Craig Houston echoed Anders' call for security while the election is underway.
Contact Thomas Howard at thoward@themeridianstar.com
