Toni Johnson, executive administrative assistant and budget manager for Jackson State University’s Department of Student Affairs, and Connie Little, program coordinator for JSU’s School of Public Health Initiative, were sworn in today, Dec. 20, as Hinds County Election Commissioners in Judge Frank Sutton’s Courtroom at the Hinds County Courthouse. Johnson will represent the 2nd District, and Little will represent the 5th District respectively.
In their newly elected positions, the women are charged with conducting all facets of activities associated with general and special county elections. Their duties also include periodically updating and revising the county poll books and the registration books which contain the names of all voters in the county.
In compliance with redistricting guidelines, they will assign voters to the appropriate district and precinct and revise poll books to conform to changes in boundaries. Johnson and Little are tasked with the hiring and training of all election poll workers on the specific duties to be conducted on election day.
During election challenges, Johnson and Little will be among the members of a special tribunal formed to hear election disputes. A special judge becomes the supervising judge of both the facts and the law of the case. As Election Commissioners, Johnson and Little will sit as the jury in the case and act as advisors to the magistrate.