Jan Hyland Daigre, center, hugs supporter Mille Wolfe Tuesday night after receiving vote numbers indicating she would win the runoff for Warren County Circuit Clerk. (Justin Sellers/The Vicksburg Post)

Circuit Clerk-elect Jan Hyland Daigre was seemingly prepared for a busy December by the time her victory was all but assured Tuesday night.

She’ll train for a job that manages all the files for three court systems, consider keeping or replacing a half-dozen deputy clerks will be kept or replaced and, come Jan. 5, start accepting qualifying papers for her own job and 16 countywide or district-level offices up for election next year.

“The state auditor will give me word on the training, and I’m to go to that immediately,” Daigre said. “Again, I knew about all of it going in — because this wasn’t really about me.”

Daigre defeated interim clerk Greg Peltz by a nearly 2-to-1 margin in Tuesday’s special election runoff. Peltz was appointed clerk by the county board in May after supervisors removed Shelly Ashley-Palmertree from office.

Daigre had finished second to Palmertree in the 2011 elections and had applied for the job in May.

Next up for Daigre is a training session usually reserved for state and county election years and conducted by the state circuit clerk’s association. The head of the association, Carroll County Circuit Clerk Durward Stanton, could not be reached Wednesday.

The latest she can be sworn in is Jan. 5, the first Monday after the New Year. Chancery clerks have usually moderated inaugurations of county officials. When reached Wednesday, Chancery Clerk Donna F. Hardy said she would consult with the Election Commission before a swearing-in is announced.

Daigre has not said whether she’ll bring in new staffers to replace deputy clerks once she is sworn in. In post-election comments, Peltz credited his staff for what he said was a successful stint in office.

“Everything’s running smoothly, at least on our part,” Peltz said. “They know the work. And I think they’re relatively happy, the way things are going now. But, I mean, that’s between them and Jan.”

In Mississippi, circuit and chancery clerks are the highest-paying jobs in county government. Base salaries for each are capped at $90,000 by the Legislature.

Circuit Clerk maintains all court records, filings, paper and accounts for all court costs, fees, fines, and assessments for Circuit Court, County Court and Youth Court.

In addition, the office keeps marriage licenses, jury lists, civil and criminal trial dockets and licenses for doctors and other professionals.

During elections, the office serves as the registrar of voters and assists with elections. Candidates for county-level offices turn qualifying papers in to the office.