Mr. T. M. Trimble,First Assistant State Superintendent State Departmentof Education
Dear Mr. Trimblsr opinfonno. O-6006 Be: Dispositionand handlingof electionreturns - Independent sohooldistrict
This offioeis in receiptof youp letter of April 26, 1944, togetherwith the rttaohedinquiryby H. PT.Stillwell,Superintendent, Tsxarkana,Texas,Public Schools. The fo-Ilowing is our opinionas to the answersto the variousquestionssubmittedto you by W. Stillwell.
Ris firat inquiryis0
"Pleasegive me directionsabout how to disposeof electionreturns,b&h for those of the ourrentyear as well as those for previousyears."
Itas our opinionthat the electionreturm, both those fir the currentyear aa well as thosefor previousyeam, may be disposedof w burningor in any other manner;provided,that they must be retainedand may not ba disposedof for at least one year after the date of the election.
Artiole 3026,Bmnon's Revised Civil Statutes,provides8
"When the ball.otshave all been counted.the managsreof the lectionin person shall make out triplicatereturnsof the same, certifiedto be correct,and sigmsdby them offioially, total nun&m of votes polled rt such box3 second,the numberpolledfor each sandidatel one of which ratuws,togetherwith the poll lists and tally lists, shalX be sealedup in an envelopeand deliveredby one of the precinotjudgesto the oountyjudge of the countysanotherof said returns, togetherwith poll lists and tally Ilsts,sblP be deliveredby one of the managersof eleotionato the oo~unty clerk of the oouaty to be kept by him in his offioeopen to inspectionby the pub110for twelprmoathr frcmthe day of the electionsand the other of said returns,pcll and tally lists shill Lu kept bu the presidingofficer oftha eleotioOfor twelvemonths from the day of the eleotio& 21 oace of vaoanoyin the office of county judge, or tho absenos,failureor inabilityof that officerto act, the eleatiorr retums shall k, deliver& to the countyclerk oftho countywho shall srfelykeep the same ln hi8 offioe,and he, or'the ooullty judge, shall deliver the smm to tha cmmisuiomrr' court'onthe dq appointedby law to open and comparethe polls~ Acts 1'383, pe 50; Aots lrt C. L. 1905. p. 541, 80~. 91; G,L. vol. 9, po 357." Hon. T. M. Trimble,pge 2 (o-6006)
We find no provisionin the statutesor in the case* requiring that the r&urn6 thaelvos be preservedsave thore in the above quoted statute.
Lest dispositionof returnsbe confisedwith dispoeitionof "ballots,"we ar@ enclosingherewitha oopy of our OpinionHo. O-4038 tiioh treataof that subjeot.
His secondquestionin:
"Forthe currantyear to whom shouldthe returns, made by the election officers,go7 And in partioular,do any of thslago to any CountyOfficer?"
Mr. Stillare does not state the partioubr *pa of electionto which this questionrelates. We are presumingthat he refersto the elec- tions of trusteesfor the TsxarkanaIndependentSchool Districtand we answerhis questionaccordingly.
It is our opinionthat three copies of these returns shouldbe made: that one mpy of suoh returnsshouldbe retainedby the presiding officerof the election;that the other returnsshouldbe made to the sahool board and not to any countyoffioialtthat manual deliveryto the sbhoolboard shouldbe effeotedby deliveringone oopy of the returnsto the presidentof the sohoolboard and the other to the secretaryof the school board.
Article 3026, V.R.C.S.,quotedabove, providesfor the making of triplicatereturna,that one return shall be retainedby the presiding officerof the electionand the other two deliveredto the oounty judge and county clerk