102.012  Inspectors and clerks to conduct elections.--

(1)  The supervisor of elections of each county, at least 20 days prior to the holding of any election, shall appoint two election boards for each precinct in the county; however, the supervisor of elections may, in any election, appoint one election board if the supervisor has reason to believe that only one is necessary. The clerk shall be in charge of, and responsible for, seeing that the election board carries out its duties and responsibilities. Each inspector and each clerk shall take and subscribe to an oath or affirmation, which shall be written or printed, to the effect that he or she will perform the duties of inspector or clerk of election, respectively, according to law and will endeavor to prevent all fraud, deceit, or abuse in conducting the election. The oath may be taken before an officer authorized to administer oaths or before any of the persons who are to act as inspectors, one of them to swear the others, and one of the others sworn thus, in turn, to administer the oath to the one who has not been sworn. The oaths shall be returned with the poll list and the returns of the election to the supervisor. In all questions that may arise before the members of an election board, the decision of a majority of them shall decide the question. The supervisor of elections of each county shall be responsible for the attendance and diligent performance of his or her duties by each clerk and inspector.

(2)  Each member of the election board shall be able to read and write the English language and shall be a registered qualified elector of the county in which the member is appointed or a person who has preregistered to vote, pursuant to s. 97.041(1)(b), in the county in which the member is appointed. No election board shall be composed solely of members of one political party; however, in any primary in which only one party has candidates appearing on the ballot, all clerks and inspectors may be of that party. Any person whose name appears as an opposed candidate for any office shall not be eligible to serve on an election board.

(3)  The supervisor shall furnish inspectors of election for each precinct with the registration books divided alphabetically as will best facilitate the holding of an election. The supervisor shall also furnish to the inspectors of election at the polling place at each precinct in the supervisor's county a sufficient number of forms and blanks for use on election day.

(4)  An election board shall conduct the voting, beginning and closing at the time set forth in s. 100.011. If more than one board has been appointed, the second board shall, upon the closing of the polls, come on duty and count the votes cast. In such case, the first board shall turn over to the second board all closed ballot boxes, registration books, and other records of the election at the time the boards change. The second board shall continue counting until the count is complete or until 7 a.m. the next morning, and, if the count is not completed at that time, the first board that conducted the election shall again report for duty and complete the count. The second board shall turn over to the first board all ballots counted, all ballots not counted, and all registration books and other records and shall advise the first board as to what has transpired in tabulating the results of the election.

(5)  In precincts in which there are more than 1,000 registered electors, the supervisor of elections shall appoint additional election boards necessary for the election.

(6)  In any precinct in which there are fewer than 300 registered electors, it is not necessary to appoint two election boards, but one such board will suffice. Such board shall be composed of at least one inspector and one clerk.

(7)  For any precinct using voting machines, there shall be one election board appointed, plus an additional inspector for each machine in excess of one; however, the supervisor of elections may appoint a greater number of additional inspectors than required by this subsection.

(8)  The supervisor of elections shall conduct training for inspectors, clerks, and deputy sheriffs prior to each first primary, general, and special election for the purpose of instructing such persons in their duties and responsibilities as election officials. A certificate may be issued by the supervisor of elections to each person completing such training. No person shall serve as an inspector, clerk, or deputy sheriff for an election unless such person has completed the training as required. A person who has attended previous training conducted within 2 years of the election may be appointed by the supervisor to fill a vacancy on election day. If no person with prior training is available to fill such vacancy, the supervisor of elections may fill such vacancy in accordance with the provisions of subsection (9) from among persons who have not received the training required by this section.

(9)  In the case of absence or refusal to act on the part of any inspector or clerk at any precinct on the day of an election, the supervisor shall appoint a replacement who meets the qualifications prescribed in subsection (2). The inspector or clerk so appointed shall be a member of the same political party as the clerk or inspector whom he or she replaces.

History.--s. 20, ch. 3879, 1889; RS 174; s. 24, ch. 4328, 1895; s. 8, ch. 4537, 1897; GS 205; RGS 249; s. 1, ch. 8587, 1921; CGL 305; s. 2, ch. 17898, 1937; s. 2, ch. 25384, 1949; s. 6, ch. 26870, 1951; s. 38, ch. 28156, 1953; s. 25, ch. 29934, 1955; s. 10, ch. 57-166; s. 1, ch. 63-53; s. 1, ch. 65-416; s. 1, ch. 67-168; s. 1, ch. 67-385; s. 1, ch. 73-151; s. 25, ch. 77-175; s. 43, ch. 79-400; s. 1, ch. 80-264; s. 50, ch. 81-259; s. 19, ch. 84-302; s. 1, ch. 89-46; s. 596, ch. 95-147; s. 22, ch. 98-129; s. 3, ch. 2000-249.