(a) Prior to the day of the election, the board of civil authority shall appoint a sufficient number of voters from each municipality to serve as assistant election officers. As far as possible, the board shall attempt to appoint an equal number of persons from each major political party. Each assistant election officer shall be sworn prior to entering on the performance of his or her duties. An assistant town clerk may serve as an assistant elections officer, regardless of his or her residence.

(b) The board of civil authority may appoint residents of a municipality who are 16 or 17 years old to serve as assistant elections officers in their respective polling places. Youth assistant elections officers shall have the same duties as adult assistant elections officers but shall work under the direct supervision of adult elections officials. (Added 1977, No. 269 (Adj. Sess.), § 1; amended 2003, No. 4, § 1; 2003, No. 59, § 17; 2009, No. 40, § 1.)