OFFICE OF THE.AlTORNEY GENERAL OF TEXAS

-. AUSTIN -cIucm

--

.

Ronorable Robert F. (Iherry countyAttmIlt'y maque county NericUan,Texas

D6ar 81,: **OPFnien No.**  **&2&J** Rer Hsy.the aommterionora~..oou~t in ordering-a loaal option. eLiotion for
or ~st'$ho m8le OC be+- to **be**

\. ‘x "\, \ "QuestlcbNo. L. * May the Coxmla(lionor~~ '~.O&t, Sri

ordsringa 10081~

option rlsation for or against the sala of beer, to bo hbld at the mama tlaom4 plsoe as the demoontla primuy~eleotti, legallyappobt, aa judges or nuoh eleotion, ths tam jud@m as those appointed by the 

### aounty demooretlo oommlttee to.hold the. demoaratiopr3.mx-y eleatfon?~
"QuestionNo. Ot 'If the Uwwissiomrs' Court **doss** rrppolnt

rwh jUag6. and 90 otbra and the loaal optionelwmon f.0 **hrld at**  **the mm8**  **t&m and**  **pleae** 011the demoratla **prlmbry** eleatloa,and under the aupervlaioa and dlreotion of+ auah jwQear would the looal option d.6OtiOA bs tbl'ebg lnvalldntod'l'HonorableRobert 0. Cherry, Page 2 i

“The f’aats

an these: ’In obedlonoe to the petltlon **recequimd** by law 

### forsuch 10~1 option eleotlon, the Comm%ssloImr8'.Courtof Boaque County ha8 o*ered a oounty-wide looal option eleation to determine

### whetheror not the sale of twdr, oo~talningnot mm4 than four per cent

or alaohol by w-t, shall ba legal in Bo8que County,Tess. IA order to save expeA8e, the 414otiOnh4u be4A qmlered to be held on July 27th, the date of the demoratio prliiwy elsotion, at the memo polling plaaas &a that of the dmuo~ratlopriwry, and,tht~ order for elaotion designeta as judges for abAd loczrl option @leatlon thd saw judges **LII** those **appointed by**  the oomty dmoorrtfo o@maitteo to hold the demooretia ,prlmary0~ that date. IA eroh o&e, only
one judgeha born-appointed for--oh polling plaue,andineaohosse the on8 judgeappointed is th4 aams 

### forth4 looal~optionl leationaa for th4 d4mocratiopaaanry,
"The Isw rei&es (Art. 666-33, v.A.o.s.) that the eleOtion b# held AOt bS8 than teAnor am4 than twenty day4 from the dat4 of the order for sold elaotlon. This be- the 12th of July, and the eleotlanhaYAng bWA ordered for the 27th of' July, it would be neoessaryfor WY to have oplnionnotlat4mthanthe16th ofJtigiftha your
eleation

### order is to be aaendod to ooxUormwLth
. your opinion and still permit theholding at the eleotlon on July 27th. I don*t.knov lf Itwill be possible to get the O@liOA SO quiokly, but, ii 80,me shall **appreoiate** it.

?ho County Attorney's brief on these question8 is au r0iiow8:

'tit. 666-32 0r **V.A.C.S.** of the State or Tens provides for the holding of a looql option election to dstemlno whether alp not the sale of'



### liquors shall be prohibited or 1tiLegalsZod.

"Art. 666-33 

### of **v.A.0.s.** of tb State of Tem8 provide8 that the Oormi88iOzlbrf1' COUPt Sfaall in it8Honorable Robert F. Chomy, Page 3

order state the date upon vtrioh*the eleotion is to be held, the objeot Of Such eleation 'aAd ShCd1 bo held to be prim faole eVIdenoo that all the provl81onS XSoOSSorJ t0 **$iVb** it Wlidity OF t0 OlOthe theaaourtwith jurIsdlot1ontomalceIt mild, ham been duly oomplled,wIth,provided that said court 8hsll app&t suoh offlc6rs to hold awh elections
aa how 

### re@.nd to hold general elections. Acta 1935, 43th Leg., nyl C.S., p. 1795, oh. 467,Art. 1, sea. 33.'

“7hPXl~‘S AAAotatod 01~11 StrtUtOS, Vol. 9, Title 50, oh. 3, Set8 out the qUBliiIOatIoZL8 Of orMosr8 0r eloatloamd the 

### Mnner of their appclhtWAt. Art. 2937, sold title upd oharpter, prOVido8, in Pa&,, 98 f01l~~Sr 'T&O Commloslo~~s~ OOUrt at the February term ahall appoint from aai0Agthe cltlzonn of eaoh votIAg preoinot in whioh there are leas than 100 voterswho have pa&d-their poll tax, or reoelved their oertiflaatesof exemption, two reputabB'& qual1fIod votms as judges of the OleatIoA, ##leoted froa dlffeWAt polItlcal ~Z'tiOS, if practicable,to set until tholr suace~soP5are appointed.... One of the jUdQ38, vh0 shall in An oa8Oebelong to the party thatat the last general slootion cast the 1ar;rgsat vote 

### forgovernor throughout the ate, shallbe desigmtod
as the preeslblngjudge at the oleotlon.,.. The preSiding judgs **Sha11**0Ot ti l%OOiVbg md dqD8lt-l~ thb vote8 In the ballotboxes, and the Other,judgeaot IA CoUnelAg the votes aasb....' **Aota** lat C.S. 1905, 91 533, *m. 57.

AAPt. 2938 Or Said tltb3 rad chapter 18 iA part
an followrr *Forevery preolnot IA whIoh thore are 100 altlcohll

or more who have pUd 

### thedr poll tax, 

### orreoelved thelr~ CertIfICatH of exemption, the Com- ~Ss;omrst gOUPt Shall aP@.At fOUr j-8 Of dbotiOA I&O **Oh011**b@'OhoSOA, irheApraatlaable, from OX@OSing pelltloalparties, ore of wh0111 shall **be** d&sigsatedas presiding judge. ThO gMS1ding jU&O ulb oXl8 888W1atO jud@ shall act in receIv1Ag 8nd depositing the votea

_ $.A the ballot bOXe8,AAd the Other tW0 jUd.@S **Shrl1** act in 00uating the votes osse~...provIdi~gthat in all oleotlow held uAd4W the prOV1810A0 Of th.iS title other than gensral eleatlons, local option eleCtIoAe#Bonorablo Robert **F.** Qherry, Page 8

and prlmmy eleoticum~ the o&em to be appointed by th0 0O~d88fO~~8’ GOlEt t0 hold aaid 8lcrtianS Shrl1 b0 a 9HbSidlrrg jUd&Basd u1 MSOOiate lX&O md two olerka,whwe 00ngmmation *ballbe s2.00 

### per day and $2.00 extr8 to the ~presfding judge **for** 56hag return 0s the ei00ti028.~

"The 

### order for the loml 0ptIon ebOtfOA IA Bpaow Countyapposnfssore wid onlyoqa judge for 6&h OleatfOAPZWCrIAOt,this jW&e being the SalM a8 that appointedby the demooratia oommittoe **as** judgeof the dewoa%tlc 

### prfmary election to be **held** OA th8 #Be &ay.ubl atit&e 81LIDb 9l8Ce. Raoh Of these judgesh8 a ddmarat, and BILoh0s them se, I bellevo without exooptisn, a psclnot qhairnrn 0s the demomat10 oounty organistrtlon.

"liIn#ton*s

Simpllfle~DlctIo~ary defined the word **Qwaotlaable~** as **uSed in**  **AFta. 2937** **and 2938,**  ifutguf

**above,** as follov8t ‘Capable of being done 

### or

“There UT0 quUIfIed voters In &SQW CouAty who belong to **other** pwtlos thaA the d.eaKmretIcr pnrtg, thoreme the appoIntraent of judges rron the demooretl0 pstiy 

### l

lOAe does hot wet the requlremnt for the 

### l ppolAtmeAt Of SWh orriasrs 68 aov nqulred~to hold general sleatloa. ht. 

### 666.33, **quoted abOOa,**  l’OQUil’O8 the **appointment** or rnab offIaara to hold suah sleatlon !;~;o;ptIoA eleotlon) a8 now ruqulnd to hold general

.
**ho order for the looal optlon eleatloa appoints onoand OAlJOAO judge foreAOhVot3sgpreolnotin Basque,

Qounty. &t. **2937,** quoted above, roquIre8 that in *ma11 **preoinots** (Having less than 100 voter8 thm-8 &aliW **appointed** by th# ConmI8aIowr8~ Court i no jUdf3i98 to hold eleCtfCll.The U'tiale Sets Out SpeCi- ' fla duty for e&ah 0s the tvo jUdgS8. Art. 29'38, quoted **above,** provides that for large prtW.tmta (havingmore than 100 VOtOl'S)

t&O OOWli88iOMI'8'COUl'tShsl1 Sppoint four judga18 to hold eleotlon. Swh aPtIale pro- ' Vi&S S~CffiO duties 102'e4Wh Of said fOUr jUd43~8 and provides further th8t IA &ll eleOtI0~ held under the provisions 0s thi8 title other than general eleotiona, .i’
,tonorabl.4 Robert F. Chewy, Page **5**

**L**

looal opt#loA

ol.4ctionu

landprimaIy4l4otlons, the orricers to b4 appolntsd by the C0xais8i0n4rs~ court to hold said election &all be a pmsi4ine judge,
an assistant judgeand tvo olorks.

“BOSQW COwty has both4mmllpraclncts and large preolncts. Th4 appolnlznerxt of one election judge for eaoh votQq pcaoinot doe8 AOt therefom oomplywith With p~OViSiOJl6Of h't8, 2937 and 2938 QS to the Op. pcln+mnt Of ofrlcera regitired to hold general electloA8.

"Art. **666-33,** prOVIdlng for such local option el4otlonan that order4d r0r Bcsque County, requires that the aourtshallappoint awhofficem tohold such electionsas 000~requimd tohold general slect10nzl. " P
We quote Finn Texas JurZtsprudenoe, Vol. **16, page**  **34,** .SfO1&USJ

"Th4 statut48make -3.4 provlrion for the appointment 0s offlaero to diroot and assist In the condwt 0s an 4i00ti0n. Irregularities in their appointmentdo not 

### render an oleotfon void. The law IA thin nape& ha8 been S\nmpariteda8 follovs:The StatUt.88 vith t'4fOrOllCo t0 the mann4r Or SppOlAt~ 4kSOtiOA OffiC4FSbbF4 diXWOtOrg. whe1?4th4j ha~4 nOt bean oonplled**vlth** If it be shown that the election'
vao hsldatthet~Pnd9'lrrcs9rovldedbylow, that the 014cctian

uaa ralrlg mndwted, and that the vote a8 mat, **counted**and returned, 0xpr~s68d the will of the aPjorlty of the qua.lHiad VOtera Votfng at swh place and tins, lrregularitlesas to tho 

### manner of l**p** pointing the ofr~oorswill not in the abrrenc4 of expr~r&yIslon or Irtatuto arr8ot the vali5.tty 0s the
part Of iheIn such 0~4, if 

### thereis no protest 0n the

votor8# they will be hbld to hSV0 ratified tha, 1110~1 appolntmmt of the eleotlon judges

### or their unauthorleodasrrumptlon of authoritywh4re they ham aoted ulthout beln$ appointed **by anyone.** **”** Hill VI. Sn&thvllle Independent School Mstrlot, 239 SW 

### 98j’# (sfflrmd Oonm. of App.) 253. SW 209 Xunicutt vs. state, 123U 1061 

### Beaver va. State, by98, **44** SW 8311 Bell vs. FmLUmsr, -19SW **4** A.L.R. 1535.Honorable Robert F. ,Cherrg, Page 6

Artiole 666-33,Vernonts Ann?tated Penal Code, provides that local option election shallbe held not less than ten nor more than~tventydaya from the date of the order for aaid eleotlon. said ststute further requires that the oourt sballappoint swh offloers to hold such eleotlon as now required to hold general elections.

c, As above ateted, the statute8with reference to

the mmner of appoInt2ng election offiloers are dlreotory. Where such etatuteshave not been oomplIedwith, If It be ahovn that the electionvas held at the time 8nd place provided by lav, and that the eleotlonvcla"MrLr oonduoted, eta., an Irregularitya8 to the manner of eppolntiag the offloersvi11 not in the 'abrrenoe of exprese provIsion of the statutesaffett the, validity of the eleotion. Hovever, ve are of the opinion thatArtlo&e 666-33, supra, is an express provision of tke stitutesrequiring the 0omIssionere~ court to appoint orfioers to hold local option eleotiona a8 nov required to hold general eleotionsand In appointlng~

or attenrptlng

to appoint the eleotlonoffioials delrlgnated to hold prlmry electionsvould not be In oomplIanoevIth the expressprovisions of the above mentioned statute.

In view of the foregoIng,you are reapeotfullyadvided that lt ie the opinion of this department that the oom- 6 mlsslonera~ court does not have the legal authority to rppat as judgesof a loa&optlon election the sanm judge8 aa thoseappointedby the county DemocraticCommittee to hold the Dcmooratlo Primary eleotlon. In the event the sa11y)election JuQes, eto. holu the primary electionvere to hold the local option election at the same time, therewould be
no saving of eppense~, for the countymust pay the expenaea of ho1dIng the~localoption eleotlon,and candidates, through the county ohaimvm pa and the county oould nog the eX@mes of the Primary electIon legally avoid the payment of the expenses of holding the local option electionby attempting to &&-the eleot&n offlolrls of the prlmery eleotion to hold the local option eleotion along with the 

### -primary election, the expenses of auoh, being paid by the candidates In the primary election.

We cannot oategorloallyansver your eecond queatlonihovever, to avoid any eleotion contest,vhloh would probably r&se the question aa to thd'validltyof the local option elec-Bonoreble Robert F. Cherrg,.,,:Page 

### 7
.~

tion vhere the election offlolala'of the primary election also hold the loo61 option eleotlon,ve th.%nk:‘it advisable that the i i,oomlselonere~ oour$ should appoint different election offlolala to hold the local option sleotlon 

### other then the election orfl0161s appointedby the Demooratio Qximlttee to hold said prlmary eleotlon. w .~.I

” Ve Rant to the& you for the brief submlttedvlth your inquiryvhloh bsa been very helpful in passing **upon**your qw8tloM.

ve are TruetinS thatwe bave Mlyansveredyour %nqulry,



### Very trulyyours

JU’TCRREYOERRRALOFTFXA~

&dell Williams Asslstent

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