Shoffner v. Tuttle

IN THE SUPREME COURT OF TENNESSEE
AT KNOXVILLE
(HEARD AT CHATTANOOGA)
FILED
March 23, 1998
FOR PUBLICATION
Cecil Crowson, Jr.
Appellate C ourt Clerk
WAYNE LEE AND ) Filed: March 23, 1998
C. EDDIE SHOFFNER, )
)
Plaintiffs/Appellees, ) CLAIBORNE CHANCERY
)
v. ) Hon. Billy Ray White, Chancellor
)
ROBERT TUTTLE, JAMES K. LOOPE, ) No. 03S01-9610-CH-00105
ELEANOR Y. BREEDING, )
STEWART COLLINGSWORTH, and )
BETTY MANNING, )
)
Defendants, )
)
AND )
)
BILLY RAY CHEEK and )
BRUCE SEAL, )
)
Defendants/Appellants. )
FOR DEFENDANTS/APPELLANTS:
A. Benjamin Strand, Jr.
Dandridge
FOR APPELLEE LEE: FOR APPELLEE SHOFFNER:
Michael G. Hatmaker Mark C. Travis
Jacksboro Morristown
OPINION
COURT OF APPEALS REVERSED; CASE DISMISSED HOLDER, J.
OPINION
This is an election contest alleging irregularities or mistakes in vote
counting in the 1994 election for Claiborne County Sheriff and Circuit Court
Clerk.1 The issue with which we are confronted is whether votes shall be
recounted when contestants allege that irregularities in vote tallying caused their
defeat. The Court of Appeals ordered a recount pursuant to Blackwood v.
Hollingsworth, 195 Tenn. 427, 260 S.W.2d 164 (1953). Upon review, we
reverse. We distinguish the present case from Blackwood on the basis that
Blackwood dealt with fraud and not mere irregularities or honest mistakes. We
hold that the plaintiffs are not entitled to relief as they have neither shown fraud
nor to a mathematical certainty that but for the irregularities they would have
been victorious.
BACKGROUND
The plaintiffs, Wayne Lee and Eddie Shoffner, were contestants in the
1994 Claiborne County general election. Plaintiff Lee was a candidate for court
clerk and was defeated by approximately 79 votes. Plaintiff Shoffner was a
candidate for sheriff and was defeated by approximately 169 votes.
The plaintiffs' complaint alleged that in excess of 8,200 people voted in
the contested election. They further alleged that approximately 2,595 of the total
votes were cast by early or absentee voting. These early or absentee votes
were cast on paper ballots. In addition, the plaintiffs alleged that there was a
"vigorous write-in campaign for the office of Claiborne County Executive." The
1
Oral argument was heard in this case in Chattanooga, Hamilton County, Tennessee, as
part of this C ourt’s S.C .A.L.E.S. ( Supreme Court Advancing Lega l Education for Students)
project.
2
write-in campaign coupled with the early or absentee voting led to a high number
of paper ballots. The basis of plaintiffs' suit is that irregularities in the counting of
these paper ballots caused their defeat.
The machine votes were counted at their respective precincts, and the
paper ballots were taken to the Office of the Election Commission in Claiborne
County. The plaintiffs alleged that conditions at the Office of Election
Commission were intolerable during the paper ballot count. Testimony at trial
indicated that several individuals smoked and that the counting room was poorly
ventilated and lacked air conditioning. There was also a temporary power
outage. While counting ballots, the election judges, registrars, and vote counters
remained in this environment for approximately 30 hours.
Plaintiffs also alleged that irregularities in ballot counting occurred. An
election judge, Rocky Manning, testified at trial. He stated that ballots were
rejected if a candidate's name had been properly marked and the same
candidate's name was placed in the write-in column of the ballot.2 He estimated
that approximately 20 ballots per district were rejected. Steve Brogan, an
election judge, testified that the rejection policy was applied uniformly to every
ballot and not solely to ballots favoring the plaintiffs.
The trial court dismissed the plaintiffs' case, holding that the "[p]laintiffs
had failed to establish a prima facie case by failing to show with mathematical
certainty that any irregularity in the election held on August 4, 1994, would have
affected the outcome of the election." The Court of Appeals reversed and held
that a recount should take place. The appellate court quoted Blackwood v.
2
Testimony indicates that the ballots were rejected as constituting two votes.
3
Hollingsworth, 195 Tenn. 427, 260 S.W.2d 164 (1953), in support of its holding.
For the reasons stated below, we reverse the appellate court's judgment.
DISCUSSION
There are two grounds in Tennessee upon which an election contest may
be predicated. In Forbes v. Bell, 816 S.W.2d 716, 719 (Tenn. 1991), this Court
delineated the grounds for an election contest. In Forbes, we held that a
contestant may either file a suit to be declared a winner or file a suit to have the
election declared void. In an election contest suit, courts are vested with the
statutory authority to: (1) confirm an election; (2) declare an election void; (3)
declare an election a tie; and (4) declare a contestant a winner. Tenn. Code
Ann. § 2-17-112 (1994 Repl.). On appeal to the appellate court, the plaintiffs
requested a recount and did not request that the election be declared void. The
appellate court ordered a recount. Accordingly, our scope of review is whether
the appellate court erred in ordering a recount.
In a suit to be declared the winner, contestants must show: (1) that the
number of illegal votes exceeded the margin of victory; and (2) that to a
mathematical certainty they would have been victorious had the illegal votes not
been counted. Millar v. Thomas, 657 S.W.2d 750, 751 (Tenn. 1983). To obtain
mathematical certainty, contestants must: (1) specifically identify each illegal
voter; and (2) show for whom the illegal voters voted.
This Court has also previously recognized that a recount by the trial court
may be ordered where fraud has permeated the election process and it is
impossible for a contestant to show fraud absent a recount. In Blackwood v.
Hollingsworth, 195 Tenn. 427, 260 S.W.2d 164 (1953), the contestant alleged
4
that election officials fraudulently miscalled several hundred legal votes for the
contestee that had been marked for the contestant. We held that when legal
votes were fraudulently miscalled the contestant may be entitled to a recount if
the proof was sufficient to justify going behind the official returns. Factors
justifying a recount in Blackwood were: (1) it was impossible for the contestant
to point out the identity of the legal voters whose ballots had been fraudulently
miscalled; (2) it was impossible to show fraud absent a recount; and (3) the
ballot box had been properly secured and admitted into evidence.
The appellate court found that the present case was controlled by our
holding in Blackwood. Blackwood, however, held that a recount was appropriate
when legal ballots had been fraudulently miscalled. We are unpersuaded that
Blackwood should stand for the proposition that courts should go behind official
results whenever a contestant alleges irregularities or honest mistakes occurring
during the tallying of legal votes. Such a holding could potentially render every
election subject to both a recount and judicial scrutiny.
The plaintiffs also cite Dixon v. McClary, 349 S.W.2d 140, 209 Tenn. 81(1955), in support of their argument. In Dixon, armed men entered the ballot
counting room, attempted to destroy ballots and threatened election officials with
bodily harm. One of the individuals illegally present in the counting room then
marked approximately 98 unopened and uncounted ballots void.
Dixon is inapposite to the present case. In Dixon, absentee ballots were
marked void and not counted due to duress and threats made by armed
individuals. The ballots voided under duress were subsequently opened and
counted by the trial court. Accordingly, Dixon permitted counting of legal votes
illegally voided during a scheme to defraud an election's results.
5
Similarly, in Summitt v. Russell, 285 S.W.2d 137 (Tenn. 1955), the
contestant requested a recount alleging "mistakes, and illegal and fraudulent
count in various precincts." Id. at 138. Evidence showed that an election official
"was getting all the votes he could get off the contestant." Id. at 139. Testimony
also indicated that legal votes for the contestant were marked by an election
official for the contestee. The ballot box had been secured and was admitted
into evidence. This Court held that a recount was proper.
Upon review, we find that the plaintiffs have not met their burden in a suit
to be declared a winner. They have neither alleged that the election was
permeated with fraud nor that illegal votes had been cast. Absent fraud or illegal
votes, courts should strive to refrain from interfering with official election returns.
We, therefore, hold that contestants must show to a mathematical certainty that
but for the mistakes or irregularities they would have been victorious when
election contests are predicated on mere irregularities or honest mistakes in the
tallying of legal votes.
The plaintiffs' proof is speculative and falls well short of establishing to a
mathematical certainty that they should have been declared the winners. The
record indicates that the rejection policy was uniformly applied to every ballot
and, therefore, had a potentially equal impact on all candidates. One could
assume that the margins of victory for the defendants would be even greater
upon a recount. Accordingly, the plaintiffs' proof is speculative and does not
entitle the plaintiffs to their requested relief.
The Court of Appeals' decision ordering a recount is reversed and the
plaintiffs' case is dismissed. Costs of this appeal are taxed to the plaintiffs,
Wayne Lee and Eddie Shoffner, for which execution may issue if necessary.
6
Janice M. Holder, Justice
CONCURRING:
Anderson, C.J.
Drowota and Birch, JJ.
SEPARATE CONCURRING OPINION:
Reid, J.
1
1 F O R P U B L I C A T I O N
2
3 I N T H E S U P R E M E C O U R T O F T E N N E S S E E
4
5
6
A T K N O X V I L L E FILED
7
March 23, 1998
8
9
Cecil Crowson, Jr.
10 W A Y N E L E E A N D C . E D D I E S H O F F N E R , ( Appellate C ourt Clerk
11 (
12 P. l a i n t i f f s - A p p e l l e e s , (
13 ( C l a i b o r n e C h a n c e r y
14 (
15 v . ( H o n . B i l l y J o e W h i t e ,
16 ( C h a n c e l l o r
17 (
18 R O B E R T T U T T L E , J A M E S K . L O O P E , ( N o . 0 3 S 0 1 - 9 6 1 0 - C H -
19 0 0 1 0 5
20 E L E A N O R Y . B R E E D I N G , S T E W A R T (
21 C O L L I N G S W O R T H , B E T T Y M A N N I N G , (
22 B I L L Y R A Y C H E E K A N D B R U C E S E A L , (
23 (
24 D e f e n d a n t s - A p p e l l a n t s . (
25
26
27
28
29
30 C O N C U R R I N G O P I N I O N
31
32
33
34 I c o n c u r w i t h t h e c o n c l u s i o n t h a t t h e c o n t e s t a n t s
35 c a n n o t p r e v a i l i n t h i s e l e c t i o n c o n t e s t s u i t . I w r i t e
36 s e p a r a t e l y t o e x p a n d u p o n s o m e p o i n t s w h i c h a r e n o t , i n m y
37 v i e w , a d e q u a t e l y d e v e l o p e d i n t h e m a i n o p i n i o n .
38
39 T h e p l e a d i n g s i n a s u i t t o c o n t e s t a n e l e c t i o n
40 a r e c r i t i c a l l y i m p o r t a n t , p a r t i c u l a r l y t h e a l l e g a t i o n s o f
41 f a c t o n w h i c h t h e c l a i m f o r r e l i e f i s b a s e d a n d t h e r e l i e f
42 s o u g h t . A c o n t e s t m a y b e b a s e d o n t h e a l l e g a t i o n t h a t t h e
43 e l e c t i o n w a s v a l i d a s w e l l a s t h e a l l e g a t i o n t h a t t h e
- 8 -
1 e l e c t i o n w a s v o i d . T h e c o n t e s t a n t m a y l i m i t t h e r e l i e f
2 s o u g h t t o a d e t e r m i n a t i o n t h a t t h e c o n t e s t a n t i s e n t i t l e d
3 t o b e d e c l a r e d t h e w i n n e r o f t h e e l e c t i o n o r t o a n
4 a d j u d i c a t i o n t h a t t h e e l e c t i o n i s v o i d . T e n n . C o d e A n n . §
5 2 - 1 7 - 1 1 2 ( 1 9 9 4 ) . T h e c o n t e s t a n t m a y s e e k r e l i e f i n
6 t h e a l t e r n a t i v e , t h a t t h e c o n t e s t a n t b e d e c l a r e d t h e w i n n e r
7 o r t h a t t h e e l e c t i o n b e d e c l a r e d v o i d . A c o n t e s t a n t m a y
8 a l s o s e e k a r e c o u n t o f t h e b a l l o t s c a s t i n t h e e l e c t i o n .
9 H o w e v e r , t h e r e l i e f s o u g h t m u s t b e c o n s i s t e n t w i t h t h e
10 a l l e g a t i o n s o f f a c t , a n d , i f t h e a l l e g a t i o n s o f f a c t a n d
11 t h e r e l i e f s o u g h t a r e n o t c o n s i s t e n t , t h e s u i t m a y b e
12 d i s m i s s e d f o r f a i l u r e t o s t a t e a c a u s e o f a c t i o n o n w h i c h
13 r e l i e f c a n b e g r a n t e d . T e n n . R . C i v . P . 1 2 . 0 2 ( 6 ) . I f t h e
14 p r o o f d o e s n o t s u p p o r t t h e r e l i e f s o u g h t , t h e s u i t w i l l b e
15 d i s m i s s e d , e v e n t h o u g h t h e p r o o f m a y s u p p o r t r e l i e f w h i c h
16 i s n o t s o u g h t . F o r i n s t a n c e , t h e c o n t e s t a n t i n F o r b e s v .
17 B e l l , 8 1 6 S . W . 2 d 7 1 6 ( T e n n . 1 9 9 1 ) , s o u g h t a d e c l a r a t i o n
18 t h a t s h e w a s t h e w i n n e r u p o n t h e a l l e g a t i o n s t h a t “ t h e
19 w h o l e s a l e d i s r e g a r d o f t h e e l e c t i o n l a w s ” r e s u l t e d i n 8 6 1
20 i l l e g a l b a l l o t s . T h e C o u r t n o t e d t h a t b e c a u s e t h e
21 c o m p l a i n t d i d n o t s e t f o r t h t h e n u m b e r o f v o t e s e a c h
22 c a n d i d a t e r e c e i v e d “ w e h a v e n o w a y o f d e t e r m i n i n g w h e t h e r
23 t h e n u m b e r o f a l l e g e d l y i l l e g a l v o t e s e q u a l s o r e x c e e d s t h e
24 m a r g i n o f [ t h e c o n t e s t e e ’ s ] v i c t o r y . ” T h e C o u r t h e l d ,
25 “ [ t ] h i s o m i s s i o n a l o n e i s f a t a l t o F o r b e s ’ s c l a i m t h a t s h e
26 s h o u l d b e d e c l a r e d t h e d u l y e l e c t e d w i n n e r ” a n d a f f i r m e d
- 9 -
1 t h e d i s m i s s a l o f t h e c o m p l a i n t f o r f a i l u r e t o s t a t e a c a u s e
2 o f a c t i o n . I d . a t 7 1 9 .
3
4 T h e c o n t e s t a n t c a n n o t b e d e c l a r e d t h e w i n n e r u p o n
5 t h e a l l e g a t i o n t h a t t h e e l e c t i o n w a s v o i d ; t h e o n l y r e l i e f
6 a v a i l a b l e i s a n e w e l e c t i o n . I n E m e r y v . R o b e r t s o n C o .
7 E l e c t i o n C o m m ’ n , 5 8 6 S . W . 2 d 1 0 3 ( T e n n . 1 9 7 9 ) , t h e e l e c t i o n
8 w a s d e c l a r e d v o i d a n d a n e w e l e c t i o n o r d e r e d u p o n t h e
9 a l l e g a t i o n a n d p r o o f t h a t f r a u d o r o t h e r i l l e g a l i t y s o
10 p e r m e a t e d t h e e l e c t i o n a s t o r e n d e r t h e r e s u l t s i n c u r a b l y
11 u n c e r t a i n .
12
13
14 T h e c o u r t s m a y a l s o v o i d e l e c t i o n s
15 u p o n a s u f f i c i e n t q u a n t u m o f p r o o f t h a t
16 f r a u d o r i l l e g a l i t y s o p e r m e a t e d t h e
17 c o n d u c t o f t h e e l e c t i o n a s t o r e n d e r i t
18 i n c u r a b l y u n c e r t a i n , e v e n t h o u g h i t
19 c a n n o t b e s h o w n t o a m a t h e m a t i c a l
20 c e r t a i n t y t h a t t h e r e s u l t m i g h t h a v e
21 b e e n d i f f e r e n t .
22
23
24
25 I d . a t 1 0 9 . I n S h o a f v . B r i n g l e , 1 9 2 T e n n . 6 9 5 , 2 4 1 S . W . 2 d
26 8 3 2 ( 1 9 5 1 ) , t h e c o n t e s t a n t s o u g h t a l t e r n a t i v e r e l i e f ,
27 e i t h e r t h a t t h e c o n t e s t a n t b e d e c l a r e d t h e p a r t y e l e c t e d o r
28 a d e c l a r a t i o n t h a t t h e e l e c t i o n w a s v o i d . T h e C o u r t f o u n d
29 t h a t t h e p r o o f d i d n o t s u p p o r t t h e c l a i m t h a t t h e
30 c o n t e s t a n t w a s e n t i t l e d t o b e d e c l a r e d t h e w i n n e r b u t t h a t
31 t h e e l e c t i o n w a s r e n d e r e d v o i d b y t h e f r a u d u l e n t a n d
32 i l l e g a l a c t s o f t h e e l e c t i o n o f f i c i a l s . T h e C o u r t s t a t e d :
33
- 1 0 -
1 S u c h a l l e g a t i o n s i n t h e b i l l a s
2 “ m a n y l e g a l v o t e s ” a n d “ m a n y v o t e s ” a n d
3 s u c h g e n e r a l s t a t e m e n t s a r e e t
n i r e l y
4 t o o g e n e r a l u n d e r t h e g r o u n
d t h a t t h e
5 e l e c t i o n w a s v a l i d . M a l o n e
y v . C o l l i e r
6 [ 1 1 2 T e n n . 7 8 , 8 3 S . W . 6 6 7 ( 1 0
9 4 ) ] . B u t
7 w h e n w e c o m e t o c o n s i d e r t h e g r o u n d
8 t h a t t h e e l e c t i o n w a s v o i d b e a
c u s e o f
9 t h e f r a u d u l e n t a n d i l l e g a l a c s
t o f
10 t h o s e h o l d i n g t h e e l e c t i o n s u h
c g e n e r a l
11 a l l e g a t i o n s i f s u p p o r t e d b y a y
n
12 s p e c i f i c a l l y s t a t e d f a c t s m a y b e t a k e n
13 i n t o c o n s i d e r a t i o n . T h e a l l e g a t i o n s o f
14 f r a u d m u s t b e s u p p o r t e d b y s o m e
15 s p e c i f i c a l l e g a t i o n o f f a c t .
16
17
18
19 I d . a t 8 3 5 . I n M i l l a r v . T h o m a s , 6 5 7 S . W . 2 d 7 5 0 ( T e n n .
20 1 9 8 3 ) , t h e C o u r t r e a f f i r m e d t h e h o l d i n g i n E m e r y v .
21 R o b e r t s o n C o . E l e c t i o n C o m m ’ n t h a t a n e l e c t i o n c a n b e f o u n d
22 v o i d u p o n a s h o w i n g “ t h a t f r a u d o r i l l e g a l i t y s o p e r m e a t e d
23 . . . t h e e l e c t i o n a s t o r e n d e r i t i n c u r a b l y u n c e r t a i n ,
24 e v e n t h o u g h i t c a n n o t b e s h o w n t o a m a t h e m a t i c a l c e r t a i n t y
25 t h a t t h e r e s u l t m i g h t h a v e b e e n d i f f e r e n t . ” M i l l a r v .
26 T h o m a s , 6 5 7 S . W . 2 d a t 7 5 1 ( q u o t i n g E m e r y , 5 8 6 S . W . 2 d a t
27 1 0 9 ) . I n M i l l a r , t h e c o n t e s t a n t , w h o w a s d e f e a t e d b y a
28 m a r g i n o f 1 6 2 v o t e s , s o u g h t a d e c l a r a t i o n t h a t t h e e l e c t i o n
29 w a s v o i d u p o n t h e a l l e g a t i o n t h a t 2 5 1 a b s e n t e e b a l l o t s w e r e
30 i l l e g a l . T h e C o u r t a f f i r m e d t h e t r i a l j u d g e ’ s f i n d i n g t h a t
31 t h e t e c h n i c a l d i s c r e p a n c i e s s h o w n b y t h e c o n t e s t a n t d i d n o t
32 r e n d e r t h e b a l l o t s v o i d a n d d i s m i s s e d t h e c o n t e s t a n t ’ s
33 s u i t .
34
- 1 1 -
1 A n e l e c t i o n m a y a l s o b e d e c l a r e d v o i d i n t h e
2 a b s e n c e o f a l l e g a t i o n s a n d p r o o f o f p e r v a s i v e f r a u d o r
3 i l l e g a l i t y . A n e l e c t i o n m a y b e d e c l a r e d v o i d u p o n
4 a l l e g a t i o n a n d p r o o f t h a t t h e n u m b e r o f i n v a l i d b a l l o t s
5 t a l l i e d e q u a l s o r e x c e e d s t h e m a r g i n w h e r e b y t h e c o n t e s t a n t
6 w a s d e c l a r e d t h e w i n n e r .
7
8 T h e r e
p o r t e d d e c i s i o n s o f t h i s
9 S t a t e u n i f o
r m l y a u t h o r i z e t h e c o u r t s t o
10 v o i d a n e l e
c t i o n w h e r e t h e e v i d e n c e
11 r e v e a l s t h a
t t h e n u m b e r o f i l l e g a l
12 b a l l o t s c a s
t e q u a l s o r e x c e e d s t h e
13 d i f f e r e n c e b e t w e e n t h e t w o c a n d i d a t e s
14 r e c e i v i n g t h e m o s t v o t e s . T h e r u l e i s
15 b a s e d u p o n t h e r a t i o n a l e t h a t i f a l l o f
16 t h e i l l e g a l v o t e s h a d b e e n c a s t f o r t h e
17 u n s u c c e s s f u l c a n d i d a t
e t h e r e s u l t w o u l d
18 h a v e b e e n c h a n g e d . I
n S o u t h a l l v .
19 B i l l i n g s , 2 1 3 T e n n . 2
8 0 , 3 7 5 S . W . 2 d 8 4 4
20 ( 1 9 6 3 ) , M r . J u s t i c e W
h i t e , w r i t i n g f o r
21 t h e C o u r t , s u g g e s t s t
h a t s u c h a
22 m a t h e m a t i c a l p u r g i n g o f v o t e s r e n d e r s
23 t h e e l e c t i o n v o i d b e c a u s e o f t h e
24 u n c e r t a i n t y o f r e s u l t . I d . 3 7 5 S . W . 2 d
25 a t 8 5 0 .
26
27
28
29 E m e r y v . R o b e r t s o n C o . E l e c t i o n C o m m ’ n , 5 8 6 S . W . 2 d a t 1 0 8 -
30 0 9 ( c i t a t i o n s o m i t t e d ) . T h e s e d e c i s i o n s a l s o s h o w t h a t
31 t h e c a u s e o r n a t u r e o f t h e e r r o r o r i r r e g u l a r i t y t h a t
32 r e n d e r s t h e b a l l o t s i n v a l i d i s n o t d e t e r m i n a t i v e ; t h e y m a y
33 b e i n v a l i d b e c a u s e o f f r a u d , h o n e s t m i s t a k e , o r
34 c a r e l e s s n e s s .
35
36 A c o n t e s t a n t c a n a s s e r t t h e r i g h t t o b e d e c l a r e d
37 t h e w i n n e r o n l y u p o n t h e a l l e g a t i o n t h a t t h e e l e c t i o n w a s
- 1 2 -
1 v a l i d . T h e c l a i m t o t h e o f f i c e f o r w h i c h t h e c o n t e s t a n t
2 w a s a c a n d i d a t e m u s t b e b a s e d u p o n a l l e g e d e r r o r s r e g a r d i n g
3 s p e c i f i c a l l y i d e n t i f i e d b a l l o t s a n d m a y r e l a t e t o t h e
4 i n c l u s i o n o f i n v a l i d b a l l o t s , t h e e x c l u s i o n o f v a l i d
5 b a l l o t s , e r r o r s i n t a l l y i n g v a l i d b a l l o t s a n d o t h e r e r r o r s
6 r e l a t i n g t o s p e c i f i c a l l y i d e n t i f i e d b a l l o t s . A c c o r d i n g l y ,
7 t h e c o n t e s t a n t i s e n t i t l e d t o b e d e c l a r e d t h e w i n n e r o f t h e
8 e l e c t i o n o n l y u p o n a l l e g a t i o n a n d p r o o f t h a t t h e c o r r e c t i o n
9 o f e r r o r s r e l a t i n g t o t h e s p e c i f i c a l l y i d e n t i f i e d b a l l o t s
10 w i l l r e s u l t i n t h e c o n t e s t a n t r e c e i v i n g a m a j o r i t y o f t h e
11 v a l i d b a l l o t s c a s t . T h e r u l e w a s c l e a r l y s e t f o r t h i n
12 S h o a f v . B r i n g l e , 2 4 1 S . W . 2 d 8 3 2 ( T e n n . 1 9 5 1 ) , w h e r e t h e
13 C o u r t s t a t e d :
14
15 W h e n w e c o n s i d e r t h i s c a s e f r o m
16 t h e a s p e c t t h a t i t w a s a v a l i d e l e c t i o n
17 a n d t h a t t h e p e t i t i o n e r , c o n t e s t a n t ,
18 h a d r e c e i v e d m o r e v o t e s t h a n t h e
19 c o n t e s t e e i t b e c o m e s n e c e s s a r y f o r t h e
20 c o n t e s t a n t t o s h o w o n t h e f a c e o f h i s
21 p e t i t i o n o r c o m p l a i n t t h a t t h e i l l e g a l
22 v o t e s c a s t s h o u l d b e t h r o w n o u t a n d
23 t h a t w h e n t h i s i s d o n e t h a t t h e v o t e
24 t h a t h e r e c e i v e d p l u s t h e l e g a l v o t e s
25 o f w h i h c h e c l a i m s t o h a v e b e e n
26 d e p r i v d e w a s g r e a t e r t h a n t h a t o f t h e
27 c o n t e s e t e . I n m a k i n g t h e s e a l l e g a t i o n s
28 i t w a s n e c e s s a r y t h a t t h e c o n t e s t a n t
29 s p e c i f
i c a l l y p o i n t o u t e a c h a n d e v e r y
30 v o t e t
h a t w a s f r a u d u l e n t l y o r i l l e g a l l y
31 c a s t o
n b e h a l f o f t h e c o n t e s t e e a n d
32 a g a i n t s h i m a n d t h a t t h e t o t a l o f t h e s e
33 v o t e s w h e n t a k e n f r o m t h e c o n t e s t e e a n d
34 a d d e d t o h i m w o u l d g i v e h i m a m a j o r i t y .
35 U n d e r t h e f a c t u a l s i t u a t i o n a s s e t
36 f o r t h i n t h i s b i l l t h e c o n t e s t a n t f a i l s
37 t o s h o w s p e c i f i c a l l y t h a t t h e n u m b e r o f
38 v o t e s c a s t i l l e g a l l y h e r e i f t h r o w n o u t
- 1 3 -
1 w o u l d g i v e h i m a m a j o r i t y . T h e r e f o r e ,
2 w h e n w e c o m e t o p u r g i n g t h e p o l l s t h e
3 c o n t e s t a n t f a i l s t o s u s t a i n h i s
4 p o s i t i o n t h a t t h e r e w a s a v a l i d
5 e l e c t i o n a n d t h a t h e r e c e i v e d a
6 m a j o r i t y o f t h e v o t e s . I t t h u s a p p e a r s
7 a n d t h e r e i s n o t h i n g e l s e t h a t c a n b e
8 d o n e b u t t o h o l d t h a t t h e d e m u r r e r o n
9 t h i s f e a t u r e o f t h e c a s e s h o u l d h a v e
10 b e e n s u s t a i n e d b y t h e C h a n c e l l o r a n d
11 t h e s u i t d i s m i s s e d a s t o t h i s b r a n c h o f
12 t h e l a w s u i t .
13
14
15
16 I d . a t 8 3 3 .
17
18 T h e c o n t e s t a n t m a y i n c e r t a i n l i m i t e d
19 c i r c u m s t a n c e s b e e n t i t l e d t o a r e c o u n t o f t h e b a l l o t s , e v e n
20 t h o u g h t h e a l l e g a t i o n s w o u l d n o t e n t i t l e t h e c o n t e s t a n t t o
21 b e d e c l a r e d t h e w i n n e r . U p o n a l l e g a t i o n s a n d p r o o f t h a t
22 t h e r e w e r e e r r o r s o r i r r e g u l a r i t i e s r e l a t i n g t o t h e
23 t a l l y i n g o f b a l l o t s p r o p e r l y v o t e d , t h a t t h e b a l l o t s h a v e
24 b e e n s e c u r e l y p r e s e r v e d a n d t h a t t h e n u m b e r o f b a l l o t s n o t
25 p r o p e r l y t a l l i e d e q u a l s o r e x c e e d s t h e m a r g i n o f v i c t o r y ,
26 t h e c o u r t m a y o r d e r a r e c o u n t o f t h e b a l l o t s . I f , u p o n
27 r e c o u n t , t h e c o n t e s t a n t r e c e i v e s a m a j o r i t y o f t h e v a l i d
28 b a l l o t s c a s t , t h e c o n t e s t a n t w i l l b e d e c l a r e d t h e w i n n e r .
29 I n B l a c k w o o d v . H o l l i n g s w o r t h , 1 9 5 T e n n . 4 2 7 , 2 6 0 S . W . 2 d
30 1 6 4 ( 1 9 5 3 ) , i n w h i c h t h e m a r g i n o f v i c t o r y w a s 1 5 9 v o t e s ,
31 t h e c o n t e s t a n t s o u g h t a r e c o u n t o f t h e b a l l o t s o n t h e
32 a l l e g a t i o n t h a t m o r e t h a n s e v e r a l h u n d r e d l e g a l v o t e s c a s t
33 f o r t h e c o n t e s t a n t w e r e f r a u d u l e n t l y c a l l e d b y t h e e l e c t i o n
34 o f f i c i a l a n d c r e d i t e d t o t h e c o n t e s t e e . T h e C o u r t
- 1 4 -
1 o v e r r u l e d t h e c o n t e s t e e ’ s d e m u r r e r a n d h e l d t h a t t h e t r i a l
2 c o u r t w o u l d b e j u s t i f i e d i n r e c o u n t i n g t h e v o t e s , u p o n
3 p r o o f t h a t t h e r e h a d b e e n n o t a m p e r i n g w i t h t h e s e b a l l o t s
4 i n t h e m e a n t i m e . I n d i s t i n g u i s h i n g t h e s i t u a t i o n i n
5 B l a c k w o o d f r o m t h a t i n S h o a f v . B r i n g l e , t h e C o u r t s t a t e d :
6
7 I n c o n s i d e r i n g w h e t h e r t h e
8 a l l e g a t i o n s o f t h e p e t i t i o n w e r e
9 s u f f i c i e n t t o w i t h s t a n d d e m u r r e r , t h i s
10 c a s e m u s t n o t b e c o n f u s e d w i t h o n e i n
11 w h i c h i t i s s o u g h t t o o v e r c o m e t h e
12 o f f i c i a l r e t u r n s b y a l l e g i n g t h a t
13 i l l e g a l v o t e s a r e i n c l u d e d t h e r e i n i n a
14 n u m b e r s u f f i c i e n t t o r e v e r s e t h e r e s u l t
15 w h e n t h e o f f i c i a l r e t u r n s a r e p u r g e d o f
16 s u c h v o t e s . I n t h a t s i t u a t i o n , a s h e l d
17 i n S h o a f v . B r i n g l e , 1 9 2 T e n n . 6 9 5 , 2 4 1
18 S . W . 2 d 8 3 2 , t h e c o n t e s t a n t m u s t
19 s p e c i f i c a l l y p o i n t o u t t h e a l l e g e d l y
20 i l l e g a l v o t e s c a s t f o r t h e c o n t e s t e e .
21 O t h e r w i s e , t h e r e w o u l d b e n o b a s i s u p o n
22 w h i c h t o d e t e r m i n e f o r w h o m t h o s e
23 i l l e g a l v o t e s w e r e c a s t . I n t h e
24 i n s t a n t c a s e t h e c o n t e s t i s b a s e d u p o n
25 t h e a l l e g a t i o n t h a t m o r e t h a n s e v e r a l
26 h u n d r e d l e g a l v o t e s c a s t f o r t h e
27 c o n t e s t a n t w e r e f r a u d u l e n t l y c a l l e d b y
28 t h e e l e c t i o n o f f i c i a l s a n d c r e d i t e d t o
29 t h e c o n t e s t e e . O n c e a b a l l o t i s p l a c e d
30 i n t h e b o x t h e r e i s n o w a y o f
31 a s c e r t a i n i n g t h e i d e n t i t y o f t h e p e r s o n
32 w h o c a s t i t . T h e r e f o r e , t o r e q u i r e t h e
33 c o n t e s t a n t t o a l l e g e i n h e r p e t i t i o n
34 t h e i d e n t i t y o f t h e v o t e r w h o s e b a l l o t
35 w a s f r a u d u l e n t l y c a l l e d f o r t h e
36 c o n t e s t e e , t h o u g h c a s t f o r c o n t e s t a n t ,
37 w o u l d b e t o r e q u i r e o f t h e c o n t e s t a n t
38 t h a t w h i c h i s i m p o s s i b l e . B u t i f t h e
39 p r o o f b e s u f f i c i e n t t o j u s t i f y t h e
40 C o u r t i n g o i n g b e h i n d t h e o f f i c i a l
41 r e t u r n s a n d s u f f i c i e n t t o c o n c l u d e t h a t
42 a n u n a u t h o r i z e d a p p r o a c h t o t h e b a l l o t s
43 i n t h e b o x h a s b e e n s u f f i c i e n t l y
44 g u a r d e d a g a i n s t , t h e n t h e r e c o u n t o f
45 t h e s e b a l l o t s e s t a b l i s h e s t h e t r u t h o r
- 1 5 -
1 f a l s i t y o f t h e c h a r g e m a d e a s t o
2 m i s c a l l i n g b a l l o t s .
3
4
5
6 I d . a t 1 6 6 . S e e a l s o D i x o n v . M c C l a r y , 2 0 9 T e n n . 8 1 , 3 4 9
7 S . W . 2 d 1 4 0 ( 1 9 6 1 ) ; S u m m i t t v . R u s s e l l , 1 9 9 T e n n . 1 7 4 , 2 8 5
8 S . W . 2 d 1 3 7 ( 1 9 5 5 ) .
9
10 I n t h e i r b r i e f , t h e p l a i n t i f f s s t a t e t h a t t h e y
11 a r e n o t s e e k i n g t o h a v e t h e e l e c t i o n d e c l a r e d v o i d . T h e
12 c o n t e s t a n t s a l l e g e , i n e f f e c t , t h a t t h e e l e c t i o n w a s v a l i d
13 a n d t h e y s e e k a r e c o u n t i n g o f t h e b a l l o t s . T h e c o n t e s t a n t s
14 a l l e g e s p e c i f i c a l l y t h a t t h e r e w e r e i r r e g u l a r i t i e s i n t h e
15 c o u n t i n g o f t h e b a l l o t s . E a c h c o n t e s t a n t c o n t e n d s t h a t a
16 r e c o u n t i n g w i l l s h o w t h a t t h e c o n t e s t a n t r e c e i v e d a
17 m a j o r i t y o f t h e v a l i d b a l l o t s c a s t . T h e o n l y e v i d e n c e o n
18 t h i s i s s u e w a s t h e e s t i m a t e b y o n e e l e c t i o n j u d g e t h a t
19 “ a p p r o x i m a t e l y 2 0 b a l l o t s p e r d i s t r i c t ” i n a l l n i n e
20 d i s t r i c t s w e r e i n v a l i d l y r e j e c t e d , a n d t h e t e s t i m o n y o f
21 a n o t h e r j u d g e t h a t t h e r e j e c t i o n p r a c t i c e w a s a p p l i e d t o
22 b a l l o t s c a s t f o r t h e c o n t e s t e e s a s w e l l a s f o r t h e
23 c o n t e s t a n t s b u t i t w a s p o s s i b l e t h a t i f t h e r e j e c t e d
24 b a l l o t s w e r e c o u n t e d , t h e r e s u l t s o f t h e e l e c t i o n w o u l d
25 h a v e b e e n d i f f e r e n t . T h i s t e s t i m o n y i s n o t s u f f i c i e n t l y
26 p r o b a t i v e t o e s t a b l i s h t h a t t h e c l a i m e d e r r o r s e x c e e d t h e
27 m a r g i n s o f v i c t o r y . T h e r e c o r d s u p p o r t s t h e f i n d i n g t h a t
28 t h e b a l l o t s w e r e s e c u r e l y p r e s e r v e d a n d t h a t t h e r e w e r e
29 e r r o r s i n t a l l y i n g t h e v o t e s . H o w e v e r , i t d o e s n o t
- 1 6 -
1 e s t a b l i s h t h a t t h e n u m b e r o f b a l l o t s i m p r o p e r l y t a l l i e d
2 e q u a l s o r e x c e e d s t h e m a r g i n s o f v i c t o r y . T h i s
3 m a t h e m a t i c a l c o n c l u s i o n i s e s s e n t i a l t o e s t a b l i s h i n g t h e
4 r i g h t t o h a v e a r e c o u n t i n g . T h e r e f o r e , t h e t r i a l c o u r t
5 p r o p e r l y f o u n d t h a t t h e c o n t e s t a n t s f a i l e d t o s h o w t h a t a
6 r e c o u n t i n g “ w o u l d h a v e c h a n g e d t h e r e s u l t o f t h e e l e c t i o n
7 o r r e n d e r e d i t s o u t c o m e u n c e r t a i n . ” F o r b e s v . B e l l , 8 1 6
8 S . W . 2 d a t 7 2 4 . I a g r e e t h a t t h e t r i a l j u d g e p r o p e r l y
9 d i s m i s s e d t h e s u i t .
10
11 _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
12 R e i d , J .
13
- 1 7 -