(a) The representatives of each political party on the county election commission shall jointly appoint a voting machine technician who is a member of their political party and who is qualified by training or experience to prepare and maintain the voting machines, and the county election commission shall appoint as many assistants as may be necessary for the proper preparation of the machines for elections and for their maintenance, storage, and care.

(b) The voting machine technicians, under the direction of the commission, shall have charge of the voting machines and shall represent the commission during the preparation of the voting machines.

(c) The voting machine technicians shall serve at the pleasure of the commissioners who appointed them. The assistants shall serve at the pleasure of the commission.

(d) The commission shall fix the compensation of the voting machine technicians and assistants commensurate with the work required.

(e) Duties imposed on the voting machine technician by this chapter shall be performed jointly by the voting machine technicians.

(f)

(1) Any voting machine technician appointed by the county election commission who performs such duties on a part-time basis and who has other full-time employment shall be excused without pay from such full-time employment for the days required for the performance of the technician's duties.

(2) No employer of a voting machine technician being excused from employment pursuant to this section shall require such technician to use vacation time or other leave time for the days such technician has been excused from employment to perform the technician's duties.