OFFICE OF THE A?TORNEY GENERAL OF TEXAS AUSTIN

Eonorable Paul T. Rolt COUJIty AttOrnOy,TXaYi8 htAty AWtA.n, Toxar
Dear SIX, Rer wbrthar

*an the ballotvoted on fur 27, 1940, tha name of the only oandlbntowho f1led his applicationwith the County Chairmanand paid tlr, asaasement lerlwl by the Csuaty &XeeutiYeCormmittee appearedon the ballot. Ahie Qandidate failed to reoelrea majority of all the voter, cast. There were a lumber of write-kll 06Ml~tO8Hon. Paul T. Bolt, page 2.

for the ortioe and the qwstim is now whether the write-In candidat who receivedthe highest number of wrrit~4.n vote8 ia entitledto hme hirs

, name printed 60 the offiofalballot for the **pri** mary sleetion to be helb oa .&gust ZB, 19&O, en& T reapeotrullpreq~st a rulinCJ rxora yau es to whether the h:&ast wrlta-la omdidete is entitled to have his name printed on the official ballet for the run-offprimary to ba held on August $24,

1940."
It is clear iron the raats sat out in your lettar quoted abwa that it will be neoasearyto have e sewnd prizmry aleotlonto select tha d5macrstianonine for the offioe in pueution, ainoe (1) the Txsri5 County XxeoutireCorPmlttee hamapr~i;tiBby proper resolution,' as sontamplated by ~rtlole that noalnatioa5for oounty ad preelnatoffios;r ihail 2 by a nmjorit vote, and (2) no oendidate for this offloe receiveda major I ty of the votes aast at the iirst prbary.

:srtic1a

3ll3, ad06a ClVil statutw or Texas, 19e5, provides In psrt:

-my porwn desiring hla wmo to appear on the offislclballot for take @umml prirpruy, as a candid&e for the noaination¶hx say off106 to be filled by the qUali,f&bd voter@ of a ceoupty or a portiontharaof, or for wwt$ chair, shall tile with the adunty ohaimaa of the Bountyof his rasidenoa,not later than fiaturaay before the third norday in June proo5ddling suoh primary, a writtan request for bL nacm to be priated on suah ofrZaia1 ballot

. . .*
It is to be mtea that thio pxuvi5lonapplies speoifloelly to the *generalprlnary*,-6 thrrefare is not Qontxolling as to the naams vdiich nit&r b6 p~lRtQ4d

08 the ballot for the stoand prlmery,partieolarly when one QT bath of tha oandldater

reoelt$.~the hi&hoot aumber of ‘Iota0 at the riret plrimary

wore wxlte4n oandldate8 whoa38 MMS were not wintell on the ballot for the general @r iti8t primary.

irtiale 1?&06, R. C. bl., pxorldrs that the County exeoutiveconmltteeshall estimte the aost of holding the

### 774

mm. Paul T. Rolt, page 3.

primary eleotionaaad *shall apportionauoh aoat among the ya;at;; oaudidatee**for** noralnatlon for oounty and pPeO$AOt

,* to bb paid by thspa *on ar before the Saturday before l$ fourthxonday 13 June.

. .'.

Artlola 3116, Ii.

c. S*, prorldes In part: -l?o peroon*s naae 8hall be plaaed on the ballot or a dietriot,wuntp, or prsolwt offloe who has not pald to the wunty exeeutire oummlttee the aw#unt or the ertla*tad axpeum of holding rruoh

primaryapportionedto him by tba county executiveoomaittaaa8 hareiabeloreprovId0d.w
The questionpresented ln mur rrqueat rerrolree ftseli to a aou6truotlon of the la& l

bwe quoted statute i. 8. whether a oandldate who would othwwlos be pallfl~ to harm hI# name printed on the ballot Sor the rewnd primary by rea80n of hating reoelred one of the 

### twohighrrtaumbarof totea In the flrrt primry ir disqualifiedby reason of the faot that he did not pay hla proportionat ehare of the prlmary expenses *on or before tha Saturday~beiora the fourth &mvlay in June*.

It la rlgnifloant to not6 that all al the above quoted provision8ot our presentelostion

### atatutm found thalr crt8tutory

o&In in but slightlyairr0rm 

### roma In the aowiled Terra11 014atloalaw being 2mu10 Bill $0. 8, ChoptOr ll, heto of the pir6t Called Sfm~$on af the ZOth Legislatura, 1905, pase de0 et 8eq. The first l cmteBoe 0r the pramat RTtlole 3116 aboir quotedwas originallyenaotted as the undeiooorad portion of the followhg ~uatatlon tma 88otlon 111 of the Terrell Eleotion Law, in the form and contorta8 foll0~8r

whloh subooamittee shall mast ob the *eooni*&Gay In July and m&b U ballot for sues GmiG FRybLfiY P tha 0fflOlal II. auoh oounty, In aooordanos

with the asrtlficrates of the state and dietriotohairaau, and the request filed with the county chairman,and plaalng the mme of candidatesfor nminatlon ror State, dlatrlet, oountyand preolmt oifloesthereon in the ordor detsralnedby tha Bounty exaautive aomnItta@a8 herein provided;provided that the napB of DOEon. Paul T. Iiolt, page 4.

Sprolalnde should be glven‘to the faot that the word %hereon* relntu bask to *amh ettnernl It 18 apparent,therrrore,that article 31lS as rimup. lp t now appmm in our 8tatutso,orlginn&ly retured only to the primary and not to the 66~0~4 or rueoff primary. genernl

Did mb8equsnt 1e$lelatiuree and oodliien b 1m$ ~titutlngfor the ward *thweorP aa wed in seotlon s the Terrell.

Slrotiorr

Law the word *ballot?, thereby intoad to change fho meaningoi the statuteso that it Rboiald refer to both the g~nrral and the roeon primary, whersna in it8 orl&ml enn0tm~ntit xofsrred only to the gonull **prlmnrpv** we think not,

It 16 llkewlae importantto 4eterml.n. whether tb6 phraee l

her&ibaforo rovlded quoted pro~i*lonof tfi " contained in both the abwo * **lmdl** xcleotion Law and in Art. 3116, wpra, rolntor to thb peysmt of the pmpertionata psrt of thb @nary oxpaiuw by the ccandldate ae **provldbd** by Artiole 3108, or **whether it**  relate8 *n;ls to the prooediogphrase in the dnme rantmoe %qqtortlonedto hlw. The latter eonstruotlon

was adoptd In a oaretullyroarone opinion by asslrttant Attorfaydrnarnl B. M. Rowlazid, addrem to t?r. W, R. &IoClelland

date4 July S, 1910. iftaX quotlmg thlrr ldentlanlprovldon from 8eotlon ill of the T8rr.11 tiOOtion Law, the opinionroeUs8

*we tb%nk ths phrare *aa hereinbeforsprovided* has the word 'apportdomd', for its anteoedaat,and not ths word 'paid',an4 -bat the r0n0wing rub4 hid down Fo a xm15* southsrlana on statutoryConstruction, sso. 4i?oapplies, qlelatiYe aad qUd.ffyfng WOrdS aLld phI%SeS, gram!r@Itiatiy

slid legtily tentionappears,

### refer so i where n0 OOntrary insly to the last ante-Eon. Paul T. Bolt, pbge S

sy thib reierenoeto the statutoryhibtarg of krtfale 3116 ana an bnalysi.5 of Its grmunatloal**8truatur5,** we reaoh the bonolubion thet thlb Artlole my not properly bb construedso ad to **preeludb** a abnaldatbwho hbo r808ite4 the ropuisitenumber of vote5 In the flrbt prlxary from he+- lng hi5 nameplaced upon thb ballot In the meaond prl.muyby retmon oi the faot that he failed to pag his propOrtionat share of the primary **bxpmse8 on**  or before thb SaturQby **bb** fore the rourthMondey in June a5 rbqulrsd by Art1018 3108, R. c. s., 55 a prerbqulbitb to km.ro

his nbsb printed on the ballot for the firbtprimary.

The oonoluelonarrived 

### at by the foregoingaablysib or the Statute lf~ **even** nwrb forolblyrwtainbd by a bbnSldbratlO~

of the **gabral** pur osea md publio p0110y Fatbnded to be efleotuated by our tollow5ngauthoritlea. The tiona la to carry out the theory of Yea or the RI11 or Right5 of thb Tbxbb Cenbtltution whlbh prwla8bI *ill politl&l **power** fs inherent In the peeple, and all free gorsmmbntb are roundedWA their mitharlty,end imitut84 ror their bbnbft.

. ,*

Thb purpose of our general and primary **5~50tion** law5 18 t0 **g&IEUWitbb** 5Ud r oteot the **bxbroisb** of the 

### rreb **bh~iob** 0r the peoplb in the 58 eotion of the orfleials to **gwbrn** them.

our **blbotf.on** btatutbswe nubt bvbr bbbr in mind pu aee and seek to birbotuate it **rather** than reetrlet and trbiunb It by bomt.rubtion. 'p AS stated by Chief Jubtioe zhillips in Qilame ~5. wapleb, et al., 106 **Tbx.** 167, p. 173,
*It is the undoubtedrtgbt OS a polltlcal prtrtp to aLake

homlnatlonsfor the blbotire oitiobrb of the people. The Leglblbturehas thb authorityto prbboriberbbbonbblbpurthodb to be

tute 89 arbitrary interferenob wlth the liberty of the peoprs 

### to fr6ely awoolats thembblvbbiOS the purposeOS exprbsel~ auoh ohoioe for their electiveofrlceaas they ml.ght bbleot and for reasxs they might be8 fit."Hon. Paul T. Halt, page 6

Thst Votes oaat tbr a oan4Idatbby writing In his atMi5 5r8 Of equal di.gXiity with tb085 for a a~4Idate whose name was printedon the ballotat a **general primery**  or genoral 6leotIonoannot be dOUbtb6alnob the aaaiiia0n **0s ths**  ODBw Of DXLCL@~I

~8. JO xarkena Ct. Clr. ~pp. lS34), 76 9. a. (Cd) era and c help ~6. MODbrmrOtt,

(El Pbao ct. Clv. &p. lsd] 277 s. w. 21.8, Wit or error PbfWbd.

In &XUM@Sl VS. JOnbS the agreed 8tatabIlt of faOt8 btatbd In part:

**Wrb.** i3op

H. Dunnagandid not oolpply with any of the provieionsof the prirmary 8leotIon law requIreaor can4Idste6In said rlmary **blbo tiOn**  15W t0 enable them to **h5vb the**  **zl r**  **smmba print**  **56** on the offlolilballot as oanaiaatee and aid sot pay eny portion of the **bXp5IlObS** 0r holdsaid eleot10n,* Isowwbr, the omrt held that m6. Dunn~bn, hacring rbaoivbd a majority of **the** valid rotee oaet at tho general **prlmbry** by write-lnwae duly noiubated.

**In C~harp**  **VS.** fbODblWIOtt, **thb UMUOlbS8iP;L**  **@Uibi dart5**  for thb GlffiOb Of OOuOty and **di.rrtri%t alerk**  io the &mboratlo primary,reomlvo4 a mejorlty or the **voter** by write-in In the pumral ele0tIon. II% dbblarIngthe validity of the 4lbOtiOIl Of the Wdtb-iZl **Q8i5did8tb** bt the sbiVJr&b~bbtiOJl,
**tkb 5oUPt**  Statbdr

*It aannot be eaia that bbaeurb~a oanbiante's name 414 not a pear on the orrlolal ballot that tO5r5fmb he e0ufd not bb~lb&d.ly5lOf3tb6, If he was QtherewIseaot InelI.igiIble to hold~ths **offiG** to whloh ho abpired,for to 50 hold wuld be, in effect to sa;g that 8 oltlzea of ttirr rrtatb **I&O &5&11P5d**  to off;05 BWt **bithOP** help pa t;hti 6XpbllbbS Of SOWpS%'t+y wi5S3'y alp lQWt, wi thirty t&ye bftbr QrlbUWy **5lbOtiQn da**  **J ’**  abiitu t,e the Secretaryof **State bli**  appliaa **On** sfgsbd by the required **p4reent6&5** Of **Qualified Votba**  **in** hI8 **4l5trlOtwfiOh5~b** not pbrtlblpbtbdin any party primary

.*Bon. z'aul T. Rolt, paE4 7

While writs-invote6 for oandldatee at the general or first primary election are valid a8 deolaredby the oourt In Cunningha vs. Xc54rmottan& Lmnoagah~6. Jones, supra, suoh is not true of the run-off primry. The San Ahtonio Court of Civil ;,ppeals in Gunni~heQ against s+een, 96 3. #. (Cl) 793 nt p. 800, dealared:

"Beforea person is entitled to be voted for for an offiae in the run-ofi prFnary,he au6t hova been one of the two high candidatsaat the first primary, Ii thi6 W4l.4 not tnt4, it i6 very likely that neither aandidat.6 woukl reosfve a mlority. If voters wera left tree to *Tit4 in the name of any person they might choose in the run-ofi primary,there could vsry 4a6ily,and probablywould, not be a majority for any oandldats in the a4conQ prtiary,and thus the requlrements of the law that before a oandldateoau become a party no

ml 1144 he murt have reoeiveda majority of the vot46, rould prevent the party rr05 maklnc:

a nomination.4
The ml66 laid down **by** the forsgoing4ourt deoisions **are** in aaoordanoe

with the former opinions of this depsrlment on the subjeot.

**In** a lstter opinion datea august 19, 1932, addrsseed to Mr. holy TinCel,wvitt6n **by iiaslstant**  AttorneyGeneral Qeynor ~ehdall,a >earfngat p. **860** of Vol. 337 of the kttornay (;eneral*s

Let ees Opinions, it wa6 stated;

ì. . l Siuce there is no etatutoryprohibition expressly inhibitingthe pra4tio4,a votsr in the geubral primary play soratoh the narmb

or names of candidatesappear@ on the, OtfiGial ballot for.suchprlrmry, an3 may write in the name of ahother p4raon, an8 that rush ballotmust be counted %IL

r6tUrns mad4 ShOwixlg the vote6 Oa6t for all candidatesincludiu& those whose na648 ware written in by th6 votara. *Such 16 not the prlneiple OS the run-off prizary. 5Qxe the purpo.64 of euC& el40tfon iS to prevent the makiq~ of a mlnoritg no&nation theremust bo a llxaitation upon the choice Of a voter or else ths process oi voting, in the run-off primarywould be an smpty essture, md the result of tho second eleot~onz&ht easlly be preotioally the ,66mo 46 that of the first prlmary and the promos might be carriedto infinity without arriving at 4 majority noalnatlon.~
In letter opinion addreassdto Nonorablem&h L. .%a11 written by assistantAttorneyGeneral tipor x4ndall on June ZQ, 1934 p. GO, Vol. 367, Attorney~4neral*11 Letter OplnioM ( ths foilowingqusationwan propounded:

"It ths voters write in 6 nani5 for oounty oomls6lonsr or other oounty orricial in tha July prlnary,who has not fileU his application aaaordiw to law nor pai& hi6 lea, shall the exeoutlveoOrtmltt66 count and aona’ider said vote?*
In **answer** to thi6 queatlon the opinion declared:

*xn reply to the above you are advissd that this d4pErtm4ZIt

ha6 held BbVe2’6l tiPsa that in the first or esneral primary eleotlon it 16 per6li66ibl4

for voter6 to writ4 in the !mlpB of a parsonwhoa4 mu44 6045 not **ap*ar** On the orrioiai ballot em a oandldate for nominationr0r any OffiOe, **Md** Who ha6 not Pfd My 666468antZlt4 0 th4 county 4x4outiv4 4ommittetl."
% the 661114

4fi4Ot i6 0 hiOn WTitten by Hiret k6- alstant AttorneyCwner6l S4ott 03 nes to t&r. vi. L. Steed on P iiU&USt 3, 1936, p. 978 Or VOL. %f3 Or AttW.I4y &iI14I%l*6 Letter Opinione, whioh mm65 in part ae foUower

This d4partaentha6 held that voters haa t& iiiht to writ4 the ma4 Or a pamen V&OPO mm4 do4e mt'appear on the oifiolal ballot ior any given oil144 and that such VQt4 mu6t ba oountsd and rsturn made thereon. xhe departtaaat ha6 rurthas held tbut suoh a person ii he **lseowed** enouh votes to retitle his name to be placrsd on th4 ballot for a run-off prim&ry,would be 4ntitlEd to have his mum **print&d on**  the offiolal ballot ror suoh run-off prlmury,’ providsd that 6uoh p4r6on shall have compll%dwith the rsqulremmt of the statutrs p6PtEiiiing t0 th4 f$liJQ ot 0%44634 aooounte as rsquir4d by th4 statut4.*

### 780

Bone Pati T. Rolt, pa&a 9

WWJ pr4oiso qumationprerr%atetl by your inquiry~46 b4f6r4 thl6 boparfmentend anmmnd bp 14ttsr oplalan wrltta by h66i6tmt Attcmmp a6naralR* s
. oxey to Honorable c. Burtt Pottar, Ccunty Attorasy 3411 PatiioloCountJr

on Juna 23, 1933, pa 151 Or vol. %z Of tile AthFn%y cILWrCil*ii L%tt4r @hiOn6. On4 of tka qW6tlon6 pr4santsd In that opinionwad:

9~8 n460n9 qucrtion iii whether if a write in OmilidPtO6hOuL! b6 %i~ the ZV.U+Urr,

th4 QOEImitt04 i6 oaclp4114d to &WI& hi6 mm6 an th6 ballotwli6r4

ii6 h66 sot ecmpl~#dwlth **there** QdS%ZO<6for the px%fiiaXJ 46 4bbv4 6ientioned and WU6 IlOt

tb660660&'6ll

f3 X'65tit,"

m 6n8wer to this qi;*rtlon th6 opinion r*eUsi
“la mJpl7 t6 ywr 6wwJdl quootion,tha lem pres0r1burMJnt

aaolAJaty

ls64utiv4-6oiIulitte6 6:tall not plaoe upoa tk6 ballQt th4 mm4 of 6ny psr6oa harlng fi&a his a6144 Wk466 Mid Oandfd6to66hOll p6y 8u0h r846 a6l 8846a68 by 6UOh 04atUBftt%o+ Th4r4ruz-8, lr a **perurn** hflo%ag hi6 tl6a6 nittcm in oa 

### a ballot %n th4 rir6f prinury,,thea befare it 4haDldbs soo6pt.6 anb p2444b on:tb6 ballot fer the 6664Qd prlnry ole&lon, ta.le‘sIscutireooma:St64 WOUU he~4 th4 T&?-k& t0 066466 hti 6UOh i446 66 th4p 86m t4 b4 l'466OZi6b14 ii? t0 496466 RU4h fees 88 

### preaarlbad by tk6 law.* %%ih th4 Et4tUt46r6ii t0 IT&C4 4Xpl.466

&WWtriOa' ror **th6** payznat or roacr bg a orndidatswho64 mm6 4.ppeaa-6 en WI6 6rri0if3~ b4lLot ti ths ftrat ti.vm in the 606GU4,or rua0fr prla*ry,we belic,v4 Bh6t it ia within ths pow6r and 4%~ oretionaf ~'3x1

4ounty dtm4r8tlo eseuutire**etmrStt4~** trog@w66tib4 9 reasonablef44 Wbe p6id,by a oaabt8et+who60 am6 ie ,t;o be printed on the lsecond prizarg bal.lot m& WLQ has noli paid army

ree p??yrior

to the Pirat pr2aary al ~r4sQ~Ib4dby ArtIdle 3103, RI CI 3. Mr. Ju6ticsEawkiaa Fo B46a4 ta. %Ep186, 103 Ter, 140, 16’i 3. ‘8. 101, a4Uh%a%

### Hon. Paul T. Bolt, page 10

aoainations

withlu 6ueh party, inoludingrms~~- abl8 666466SiWLtts

6&&6t fA6y

an8 4l.l

4andidat.46 r0r 6Ush nominstloar."

In ao4ordenat

with th4 ioregolng authorities,it is our opinion that under the mot6 eet forth in your latt4r, ths hlgh66twrite-in 04ndlUata **i6** entitled to h6*r hi6 na6@ printer3

en the ofrioial.

ballot ror the run-offprlmaty to be h6ld 06 A U6t 84, 194C, 6ab that th4 %=4Vir f.kUntrmorat gr4Out **~4** Cosaritt64 m6y rquire 6uoh otmdldatota pay "f; ruoh romonable ree a6 they may determlasa4o46sary t6 da-67 **hi6** proportioRat4

6har6 of the **exp46646** of aonduotingth4 prhexy 4l4OtiOll6,
mar6 nry truly
ATTORWKY

tR5UXRAl.

OF TEZ4.3

ATTORNEYGENERAL Walter R. Ko4h A6615tant

ATEDAUG 3, 1940 

# -*.Pm----
ATTORXEYGEIWRAI.

OF TEXAS

**COMMIREE**