Section 17-4-132

Purgation of registration lists; transfer of names to precinct to which elector has moved; failure to perform duties.

The board of registrars shall purge the registration list whenever it receives and confirms information that a person registered to vote in that county has died, become a nonresident of the state or county, been declared mentally incompetent, been convicted of any offense mentioned in Section 182 of the Constitution since being registered or otherwise become disqualified as an elector. A person convicted of a disqualifying offense must be notified by certified mail of the board's intention to strike his name from the list. No person convicted of a disqualifying crime may be stricken from the poll list while an appeal from the conviction is pending. Notice of the names of all other persons proposed to be stricken from the list shall be published in some newspaper published in the county.

On the date set in the notice, or at a later date to which the case may have been continued by the board, the board shall proceed to consider the case of such elector whose name it proposes to strike from the registration list and determine the same. Any person whose name is stricken from the list may appeal from the decision of the board, without giving security for costs, and a trial by jury may be had; and the board shall forthwith certify the proceedings to the circuit clerk, who shall docket the case in the circuit court.

When the board has sufficient evidence furnished it that any elector has permanently moved from one precinct to another within the county, it shall transfer the name of such elector to the registration list of the precinct to which such elector has moved, and shall give notice by mail to such elector if the elector has not requested the change of registration.

Any member or deputy of the board of registrars who neglects or willfully refuses to perform the duties herein required of him shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and on conviction shall be punished by a fine of not more than $500.00 and may also be imprisoned in the county jail, or sentenced to hard labor for the county, for not more than six months.

(Code 1907, §§323, 326; Acts 1920, No. 78, p. 124; Code 1923, §§392, 395; Acts 1927, No. 289, p. 274; Acts 1935, No. 460, p. 989; Code 1940, T. 17, §§44, 48; Code 1975, §§17-4-60, 17-4-63; Acts 1978, No. 584, p. 667, §28.)