§426. Alternate commissioners; qualifications, powers, and duties; oath and compensation

A. Qualifications. (1) A qualified voter who is not entitled to assistance in voting and is not a candidate in the election may be selected as an alternate commissioner in any precinct of the ward where he is registered to vote, except pursuant to R.S. 18:434(D) in which case he may be selected as a commissioner in any precinct of the parish where he is registered to vote or as otherwise provided in R.S. 18:425(A)(4).

(2)(a) No person shall be selected as a commissioner in a precinct in which a member of his immediate family is a candidate for election to public office.

(b) No person who has been convicted of an election offense enumerated in Chapter 10 of this Title shall be selected as an alternate commissioner.

(3) A person shall not be selected as an alternate commissioner unless he has attended a course of instruction for commissioners, has received a certificate of instruction during the term of office of the clerk who conducted the course, and has provided his correct party affiliation to the clerk.

(4) A person who is at least seventeen years of age, under the age of eighteen, and is not a qualified voter but is otherwise qualified to serve as an alternate commissioner pursuant to this Subsection may be selected to serve as an alternate commissioner in any precinct of the ward where he may register to vote pursuant to R.S. 18:101(A), provided that the person is enrolled in the twelfth grade of any Louisiana public high school or state-approved nonpublic high school or is participating at the twelfth grade level in a home study program approved by the State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education.

B. Powers and duties. An alternate commissioner who replaces an absent or unqualified commissioner shall have the same powers and duties and shall possess the same qualifications as a commissioner. An alternate commissioner who does not replace a commissioner shall have the same powers and duties as a watcher.

C. Oath and compensation. An alternate commissioner who replaces an absent or unqualified commissioner shall, before entering upon the performance of his duties as a commissioner, take the same oath as a commissioner, and he shall receive the same compensation as a commissioner.

Acts 1976, No. 697, §1, eff. Jan. 1, 1978. Amended by Acts 1977, No. 471, §1, eff. Jan. 1, 1978; Acts 1981, No. 77, §1, eff. June 26, 1981; Acts 1989, No. 179, §1, eff. Jan. 1, 1990; Acts 1993, No. 465, §1; Acts 2004, No. 526, §1, eff. Jan. 1, 2005; Acts 2006, No. 403, §1, eff. June 15, 2006.