Case Name: State ex rel. Lawrence Vernet et al. v. Clay B. Wells et al.
Court: Supreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia
Jurisdiction: West Virginia
Decision Date: 1920-10-14
Citations: 87 W. Va. 275
Docket Number: 
Parties: State ex rel. Lawrence Vernet et al. v. Clay B. Wells et al.
Judges: 
Reporter: West Virginia Supreme Court
Volume: 87
Pages: 275–277

Head Matter:
CHARLESTON.
State ex rel. Lawrence Vernet et al. v. Clay B. Wells et al.
Submitted October 12, 1920.
Decided October 14, 1920.
(.Opinion filed October 19, 1920).
1. Elections — Ballot Commissioners Cannot Place Names of Persons Not Nominated, on Ballot.
Ballot commissioners cannot lawfully place on any ticket, .the name 9f any person to be voted for in an election, who has not been nominated agreeably to law. (p. 276).
2. Same — Certificates of Candidates Nominated by Conventions or Groups of Citizens Must be Filed in Time Prescribed.
A political party having no national organization, or any group of citizens, may nominate candidates by conventions or certificates signed by voters as provided in sec. 23 of the primary election law, as amended by ch. 78, Acts 1919; but, to make such nominations effectual, certificates thereof must be filed within twenty days after the primary election held in the year in which they are ma'de. (p. 276).
(Williams, Peesident, and Milieb, Judge, absent.)
Motion for peremptory writ of mandamus by the State, on the relation of Laurence Vernet and others, against 'Olay B. Wells and others, Ballot .Commissioners.
Peremptory writ awarded. .
James 8. MdGluer, and M. G. Ambler, for relators.

Opinion:
POEEENBARGER, JUDGE:
This is a motion for the award of a peremptory writ of mandamus to compel the board of ballot commissioners of Wood County., to omit from "The West Virginia Non-Partisan League" ticket on the official ballot to be used in the general election to be held, Nov. 2, 1920, the names of several persons as candidates for local offices, on the ground that the certificates or petitions for their nominations were not filed in time. The movers are voters of said county and members of "The West Virginia Non-Partisan League" and three of them members of its executive committee, and the motion was made, after notice to the members of the board of ballot commissions, as authorized by sec. 89, ch. 3 of the Code, dispensing with the requirement of an alternative writ.
The petitions or certificates of nomination relied upon by a majority of the board of ballot commissioners, as authority for their placing the names of certain candidates on "The West Virginia Non-Partisan League" ticket, were filed with the clerk of the Circuit Court of said county, Sept. 8, 1920. Their purpose is to make nominations authorized by a proviso in sec. 3 of ch. 5 of the Acts of the Extraordinary Session of the Legislature of 1916, as amended by ch. 78, Acts of 1919, saying any political party which polled less than ten per cent, of the total vote cast for governor at the last preceding general election, or any group of citizens, may nominate candidates and elect committees for any political division, -either by party conventions or.in accordance with the provisions of sec. 23 of said amending act. But another proviso requires certificates of such nominations to be filed within twenty days after the primary election for nominations. The primary election was held on the last Tuesday in May, 1920, as required by law. Hence, these certificates were filed more than two months after expiration of the period within which they could have been lawfully filed.
This limitation upon the right, to make nominations is not unreasonable. It allows ample time therefor, and is more liberal than the allowance made to established parties. The board of ballot commissioners have no right to put on any ticket, the name of any person not nominated pursuant to law. Cunningham et al. v. Cokely et al., 79 W. Va. 60.
It being thus shown that a majority of the board of ballot commissioners had departed from the requirements of law, respecting the ticket in question, in preparing the ballot, a peremptory writ was awarded, requiring them to omit the names of the candidates in question.
Peremptory writ awarded.