(1) The clerk of each county, township, city, and village may appoint a number of assistants as may be necessary to carry out the general provisions of the election law. The clerk of a county, township, city, or village shall consider an application for the appointment of an assistant without regard to age, socioeconomic status, sex, race, national origin, religion, political affiliation, or any disability the applicant may have.

    (2) Assistants appointed under this section shall possess only the authority conferred upon them by the county, township, city, or village clerk appointing them, and shall perform only those duties that are assigned to them by the clerk. Before an assistant enters upon the discharge of his or her duties, the assistant shall take and subscribe to the oath of office as provided in section 1 of article XI of the state constitution of 1963, which shall be filed in the office of the county, township, city, or village clerk who appointed the assistant and shall be properly instructed by the county, township, city, or village clerk in the duties the assistant is assigned to perform. An assistant may receive compensation as may be fixed by a township board or the legislative body of a county, city, or village.