Notwithstanding any other provision of this Title to the contrary, in any election the county board may direct that responsibility for the conduct of that election in an election district shall be divided between a first shift and a second shift of the district board of that district, provided that the responsibility for performance of the duties of judge and inspector of any such district board shall not be so divided between shifts, and the members of such a board who shall have been selected as judge and inspector thereof shall serve on both shifts of that board. Whenever a county board shall have determined to direct such a division of responsibility in an election district, it shall, not later than the second day preceding the election, appoint such additional members to the district board of the district as may be required, in the same manner as provided for the appointment of district board members under R.S.19:6-1, provided that no additional members shall be appointed for the purpose of dividing responsibility for performance of the duties of judge or inspector of that district board. The county board shall also, at the same time at which any such appointment of additional members is made, designate each member of the district board other than the judge or inspector of the board, whether that member was appointed under R.S.19:6-1 or appointed as an additional member under this section, to serve either on the first or the second shift of the board; in making this designation, the county board of elections shall give due consideration to ensuring that district board members with experience in the conduct of elections are included in the membership of each shift. With respect to any district board of elections for which shifts have been established hereunder, the provisions of this section shall not be construed to prevent a county board of elections from designating a clerk member of that board to serve on both shifts of the board, or from establishing a preference, in appointing the clerk members of that board, for the selection of individuals who are available to serve on both shifts of the board.

The county board shall establish the hours during which each shift shall serve, and shall timely notify the judge and inspector of the district board of the hours of the two shifts and the respective members of each shift of the hours of that shift’s service. The two shifts shall be as nearly equal in duration as is practicable. The members of the second shift shall be required to be present at the polls not later than one-half hour prior to the end of the first shift, and the responsibility for the conduct of the election in the election district shall be transferred from the first shift to the second shift during that last half-hour period of the first shift’s service under such rules as the county board shall prescribe.

The members of each shift of a district board of elections designated under this section shall have all of the responsibilities prescribed by law for the conduct of the election during the period in which that shift serves. In addition, the members of the first shift shall have responsibility, subject to the several duties specifically conferred by law upon the judge and inspector of the district board, for the receipt and custody, prior to the election, of election supplies and equipment; for preparation of the polling place for the election; and for the performance of all other duties relating to the election which are required by law to be carried out prior to the commencement of the balloting, up to and including the opening of the polls. Likewise, the members of the second shift shall have responsibility, subject to the several duties specifically conferred by law upon the judge and inspector of the district board, for closing the polls; for counting the votes cast in the election and ascertaining the results thereof; for the preparation and delivery of statements of those results; for the proper disposition of ballots in accordance with law; for the securing of the ballot boxes or voting machines; for the return of all election equipment and supplies; and for the performance of all other duties relating to the election which are required by law to be carried out following the closing of the polls.

The compensation of a member of a shift of the district board payable with respect to the member’s service on that shift shall be equal to one-half of the amount, pursuant to R.S.19:45-6, payable to members of a district board for which no division of responsibilities between a first shift and second shift, as provided by this section, has been established.

L.1991,c.102,s.1.