reglab/housing_qa huggingface dataset:
AL Code § 17-16-41 (2021)
2021 Code of Alabama|Title 17 - Elections.|Chapter 16 - Post Election Procedures.|Article 3 - Election Contests.|Section 17-16-41 - When Election Not Annulled.

Section 17-16-41When election not annulled. No malconduct, fraud, or corruption on the part of the inspector, clerk, returning officer, canvassing board, or other person, nor any offers to bribe, bribery, intimidation, or other malconduct which prevented a fair, free, and full exercise of the elective franchise can annul or set aside any election unless thereby the person declared elected and whose election is contested is shown not to have received the highest number of legal votes, nor may any election contested under the provisions of this title be annulled or set aside because of illegal votes given to the person whose election is contested, unless it appears that the number of illegal votes given to such person, if taken from him or her, would reduce the number of votes given to him or her below the number of legal votes given to some other person for the same office. No election shall be annulled or set aside because of the rejection of legal votes unless it appears that such legal votes, if given to the person intended, would increase the number of the person's legal votes to or above the number of legal votes received by any other person for the same office.  (Code 1896, §1668; Code 1907, §456; Code 1923, §546; Code 1940, T. 17, §232; §17-15-2; amended and renumbered by Act 2006-570, p. 1331, §83.)
AL Code § 17-16-42 (2021)
2021 Code of Alabama|Title 17 - Elections.|Chapter 16 - Post Election Procedures.|Article 3 - Election Contests.|Section 17-16-42 - Voter Must Answer as to Qualifications.

Section 17-16-42Voter must answer as to qualifications. Any person examined as a witness may be required to answer if he or she voted at the election contested and to answer touching his or her qualifications; and if he or she was not at such election a qualified voter, he or she may be required to answer for whom he or she voted. If he or she makes full, true answers which may tend to incriminate him or her, he or she shall not be prosecuted for voting at such election.  (Code 1896, §1669; Code 1907, §457; Code 1923, §547; Code 1940, T. 17, §233; §17-15-3; amended and renumbered by Act 2006-570, p. 1331, §83.)
AL Code § 17-16-43 (2021)
2021 Code of Alabama|Title 17 - Elections.|Chapter 16 - Post Election Procedures.|Article 3 - Election Contests.|Section 17-16-43 - Either Party May Have Copy of Registration and Poll Lists.

Section 17-16-43Either party may have copy of registration and poll lists. It shall be the duty of the judge of probate of any county, upon the application of either party to any contest, or his or her agent or attorney, to deliver to the party, his or her agent or attorney, a certified copy of the registration lists and poll lists (one or both) of his or her county, or of any election precinct therein, upon the payment of his or her fees for certifying and copying the same at the rate of one dollar ($1) per page in making such copy; and such copies, duly certified, shall be received as presumptive evidence of the facts therein stated; the registration lists that the persons therein named were duly registered, and the poll lists that the persons therein named voted at the election and precinct therein named. (Code 1896, §1670; Code 1907, §458; Code 1923, §548; Code 1940, T. 17, §234; §17-15-4; amended and renumbered by Act 2006-570, p. 1331, §83.)
AL Code § 17-16-44 (2021)
2021 Code of Alabama|Title 17 - Elections.|Chapter 16 - Post Election Procedures.|Article 3 - Election Contests.|Section 17-16-44 - Jurisdiction in Election Contests; Appeal.

Section 17-16-44Jurisdiction in election contests; appeal. No jurisdiction exists in or shall be exercised by any judge or court to entertain any proceeding for ascertaining the legality, conduct, or results of any election, except so far as authority to do so shall be specially and specifically enumerated and set down by statute; and any injunction, process, or order from any judge or court, whereby the results of any election are sought to be inquired into, questioned, or affected, or whereby any certificate of election is sought to be inquired into or questioned, save as may be specially and specifically enumerated and set down by statute, shall be null and void and shall not be enforced by any officer or obeyed by any person. If any judge or other officer hereafter undertakes to fine or in any wise deal with any person for disobeying any such prohibited injunction, process, or order, such attempt shall be null and void, and an appeal shall lie forthwith therefrom to the Supreme Court then sitting, or next to sit, without bond, and such proceedings shall be suspended by force of such appeal; and the notice to be given of such appeal shall be 14 days. (Code 1876, §314; Code 1886, §407; Code 1896, §1671; Code 1907, §459; Code 1923, §549; Code 1940, T. 17, §235; §17-15-6; amended and renumbered by Act 2006-570, p. 1331, §83.)
AL Code § 17-16-45 (2021)
2021 Code of Alabama|Title 17 - Elections.|Chapter 16 - Post Election Procedures.|Article 3 - Election Contests.|Section 17-16-45 - Examination of Ballots, Voting Equipment, Etc.

Section 17-16-45Examination of ballots, voting equipment, etc. In all election contests other than political party primaries or runoffs, any person or candidate involved in the contest is entitled to make an examination of the ballots cast, given, or rejected in the election, to make an examination of the voting equipment used in the election, and to make an examination of voting machine computations or printouts. (Acts 1989, No. 89-877, p. 1757, §1; §17-8-45; amended and renumbered by Act 2006-570, p. 1331, §83.)
AL Code § 17-16-46 (2021)
2021 Code of Alabama|Title 17 - Elections.|Chapter 16 - Post Election Procedures.|Article 3 - Election Contests.|Section 17-16-46 - Procedure for Examination of Ballots, Voting Machines, etc.; Bond.

Section 17-16-46Procedure for examination of ballots, voting machines, etc.; bond. In all election contests involving elections other than party primaries or runoffs:  (1) The examining person or candidate seeking to examine the ballots, electronic voting machines, or electronic voting machine computations or printouts must move, within 10 days of the filing of the contest, the court before whom the election contest is pending for an examination. The court shall set a hearing on the motion for examination which must take place within 10 days after service of the motion on the parties and candidates involved in the election contest. The hearing shall be held to determine the procedures to be used for the examination and the court shall, within five days after the hearing, set forth the procedures for the examination. Absent a subsequent court order extending the time for reasonable cause shown, the examination must be finished within 15 days of the court order which sets forth the examination procedures.  (2) Examination procedures shall be within the discretion of the court. The court shall consider, in determining appropriate procedures, the need to preserve the integrity of the ballots, electronic voting machines, and electronic voting machine computations and printouts; the need to ensure that votes were accurately cast and counted; the need to ensure that all persons and candidates involved in the election have the opportunity to observe the examination and ensure that an examination does not wrongfully alter the election results; the need to expeditiously conclude the election contest; and any other factor which is relevant to the integrity of the election process. The court must, when so requested by any party or candidate involved in the contest, allow such party or candidate, and his or her agents, to observe all of the examination proceedings.  (3) The court shall require the examining party or candidate to make a deposit with the court or post a bond in a sum adequate to ensure prompt payment of all reasonable, necessary, and actual expenses incurred by any governmental entity during and as a result of the examination. If the examining person or candidate prevails in the election contest as a result of information obtained from the examination of the ballots, electronic voting machines, or electronic voting machine computations or printouts, he or she shall not be responsible for any expenses or costs incurred by any governmental entity during and as a result of the examination. (Acts 1989, No. 89-877, p. 1757, §2; Code 1975 §17-8-46; §17-15-7; amended and renumbered by Act 2006-570, p. 1331, §83.)
AL Code § 17-16-47 (2021)
2021 Code of Alabama|Title 17 - Elections.|Chapter 16 - Post Election Procedures.|Article 3 - Election Contests.|Section 17-16-47 - Statement of Grounds of Contest.

Section 17-16-47Statement of grounds of contest. When any elector chooses to contest the election of any person declared to be elected to the office of senator or representative in the Legislature, judge of the circuit court or district court, any office which is filled by the vote of a single county, or constable, he or she must make a statement in writing setting forth specifically:  (1) The name of the party contesting and that he or she was a qualified voter when the election was held.  (2) The office which the election was held to fill and the time of holding the same.  (3) The particular grounds of the contest.  This statement must be verified by the affidavit of such contesting party to the effect that the same is believed to be true. If the reception of illegal votes is alleged as a cause of contest, it is a sufficient statement of cause to allege that illegal votes were given to the person whose election is contested, which, if taken from that person, will reduce the number of legal votes given to the person to or below the number of legal votes given to some other person for the same office. (Code 1896, §1686; Code 1907, §460; Code 1923, §550; Code 1940, T. 17, §236; §17-15-20; amended and renumbered by Act 2006-570, p. 1331, §83.)
AL Code § 17-16-48 (2021)
2021 Code of Alabama|Title 17 - Elections.|Chapter 16 - Post Election Procedures.|Article 3 - Election Contests.|Section 17-16-48 - Notice of Nature of Evidence.

Section 17-16-48Notice of nature of evidence. No testimony must be received of any illegal votes or of the rejection of any legal votes in any contested election commenced under the provisions of this article unless the party complaining thereof has given to the adverse party notice in writing of the number of illegal votes and by whom given and for whom given, and at what precinct or voting place cast, or the number of legal votes rejected, and by whom offered, and at what precinct or voting place cast, which the party expects to prove on the trial. Such notice must be served personally or left at the residence or usual place of business of the adverse party at least 10 days before the taking of testimony in reference to such votes.  (Code 1896, §1687; Code 1907, §461; Code 1923, §551; Code 1940, T. 17, §237; §17-15-21; amended and renumbered by Act 2006-570, p. 1331, §83.)
AL Code § 17-16-49 (2021)
2021 Code of Alabama|Title 17 - Elections.|Chapter 16 - Post Election Procedures.|Article 3 - Election Contests.|Section 17-16-49 - When Contest Commenced; Security for Costs.

Section 17-16-49When contest commenced; security for costs. All contests of elections provided for in this article must be commenced within 20 days after the result of the election is declared, except as in this article otherwise provided; and at the time of commencing such contest and the filing of the statement in writing, the party contesting must give security for the cost of such contest, to be filed and approved as provided in this article. (Code 1896, §1688; Code 1907, §462; Code 1923, §552; Code 1940, T. 17, §238; §17-15-22; amended and renumbered by Act 2006-570, p. 1331, §83.)
AL Code § 17-16-50 (2021)
2021 Code of Alabama|Title 17 - Elections.|Chapter 16 - Post Election Procedures.|Article 3 - Election Contests.|Section 17-16-50 - Contest of Senator or Representative in Legislature - Filing.

Section 17-16-50Contest of senator or representative in Legislature - Filing. If the contest is of the election of a senator or representative in the Legislature, the elector contesting must file in the office of the clerk of the circuit court of any county of the senatorial district, if such contest is of the election of a senator, or in the office of the clerk of the circuit court of the county in which the election was held, if the contest is of the election of a representative in the Legislature, a statement in writing of the grounds of contest, as provided in this article, and must give good and sufficient security for the costs of such contest, to be taken and approved by the clerk. The person whose election is contested must have 10 days' notice of the statement in writing before the taking of testimony. Notice shall be served by service of a certified copy of such statement by the sheriff or a constable of the county, and such sheriff or constable must endorse on the original the fact of such service and such endorsement is presumptive evidence of the fact. (Code 1896, §1689; Code 1907, §463; Code 1923, §553; Code 1940, T. 17, §239; §17-15-23; amended and renumbered by Act 2006-570, p. 1331, §83.)
AL Code § 17-16-51 (2021)
2021 Code of Alabama|Title 17 - Elections.|Chapter 16 - Post Election Procedures.|Article 3 - Election Contests.|Section 17-16-51 - Contest of Senator or Representative in Legislature - Testimony.

Section 17-16-51Contest of senator or representative in Legislature - Testimony. The testimony in the case of a contest provided for in Section 17-16-50 must be taken by deposition under commission issued by the clerk of the court where the statement of contest is filed, which commission must issue upon the party applying for the same making and filing an affidavit stating the name of the witnesses, the place of residence of such witnesses, and that the testimony sought and expected is material. The depositions must be taken on interrogatories filed in the office of the clerk after making and filing the affidavit and of the interrogatories and affidavit and the names and residence of the commissioner or commissioners proposed to be appointed, 10 days' notice must be given the adverse party by service on him or her personally or by leaving at his or her usual place of residence or business a copy of the interrogatories and affidavit, to which must be appended notice of the name and residence of the commissioner proposed to be appointed. Such service must be made by the sheriff or a constable of the county, and within 10 days thereafter such adverse party may file cross-interrogatories, to which the party filing the interrogatories may file rebutting interrogatories, and thereafter commission may issue. The commissioner must give each party five days' notice in writing of the time and place of taking the depositions, which notice may be served by the sheriff or a constable of the county. If the witnesses reside or are to be examined within the county, the adverse party is entitled to demand that they be examined orally, separate and apart from each other, on giving notice within the 10 days allowed to file cross-interrogatories that such examination is required; and if such notice be given, the commission issued must not be accompanied by the interrogatories filed, and must authorize and direct the commissioner to examine the witnesses orally, separate and apart from each other, after giving each party five days' notice of the time and place of the examination. In the execution of all commissions to take testimony under this section, the commissioner must conform to and observe the requirements of the statutes and rules concerning the taking of depositions in civil actions and has and may exercise all the power and authority by the statute conferred on commissioners; and against defaulting witnesses all such proceedings may be had and taken as are authorized by the statutes and rules. (Code 1896, §1690; Code 1907, §464; Code 1923, §554; Code 1940, T. 17, §240; §17-15-24; amended and renumbered by Act 2006-570, p. 1331, §83.)
AL Code § 17-16-52 (2021)
2021 Code of Alabama|Title 17 - Elections.|Chapter 16 - Post Election Procedures.|Article 3 - Election Contests.|Section 17-16-52 - Contest of Senator or Representative in Legislature - Depositions Returned.

Section 17-16-52Contest of senator or representative in Legislature - Depositions returned. The commissioner must carefully envelop the depositions taken, with the commission attached, writing his or her name across the sealing of the envelope and endorsing thereon the names of the witnesses and the title and subject matter of the contest, and direct the envelope to the clerk issuing the commission, and must, within five days after taking the deposition, file the same with the clerk, or transmit the same by mail through the nearest post office. The clerk, within five days after the taking of testimony has been finished and the depositions received in his or her office, must make and certify under the seal of the court a true and correct copy of the statement of the grounds of contest and of return of service thereon, and must enclose the same with the depositions so taken and filed in his or her office, and must securely envelop the same, endorsing thereon the title and subject matter of the contest, and direct the package to the presiding officer of that branch of the Legislature before which the contest is to be tried, at the seat of government and deposit the same, postage paid, in the nearest post office. (Code 1896, §1691; Code 1907, §465; Code 1923, §555; Code 1940, T. 17, §241; §17-15-25; amended and renumbered by Act 2006-570, p. 1331, §83.)
AL Code § 17-16-53 (2021)
2021 Code of Alabama|Title 17 - Elections.|Chapter 16 - Post Election Procedures.|Article 3 - Election Contests.|Section 17-16-53 - Contest of Senator or Representative in Legislature - Costs Taxed.

Section 17-16-53Contest of senator or representative in Legislature - Costs taxed. The package mailed by the clerk must be opened by the presiding officer and presented to the house over which he or she presides for such action as such house may deem proper. On the determination of the contest, the Secretary of the Senate or the Clerk of the House, as the case may be, must certify the result thereof to the clerk of the court in which the statement of contest was filed. The certificate must be filed in the office of the clerk and shall have the force and effect of a judgment against the unsuccessful party for the costs of the contest. And the clerk having taxed the costs, allowing the fees and costs allowed for similar services in civil cases at law, must issue execution for the amount thereof in the name of the successful party. If the party contesting the election is the unsuccessful party, the unsuccessful party sureties must pay the costs of the contest. (Code 1896, §1692; Code 1907, §466; Code 1923, §556; Code 1940, T. 17, §242; §17-15-26; amended and renumbered by Act 2006-570, p. 1331, §83.)
AL Code § 17-16-54 (2021)
2021 Code of Alabama|Title 17 - Elections.|Chapter 16 - Post Election Procedures.|Article 3 - Election Contests.|Section 17-16-54 - Contest of Election of Judge of Circuit or District Court - Procedure Generally.

Section 17-16-54Contest of election of judge of circuit or district court - Procedure generally. If the contest is of an election to the office of judge of the circuit court or of the district court, the party contesting must file in the office of the judge of probate of the county of the residence of the person declared elected, a statement in writing of the grounds of contest, verified by affidavit, as prescribed in this article, and must give good and sufficient security for the costs of the contest, to be approved by the judge of probate. On the filing of the statement and the giving of the security, the judge of probate must endorse thereon an order appointing a day for the trial of the contest, not less than 30 nor more than 50 days from the day of the reception of the certified statement and fixing the place of trial, which must be at some place in the circuit or district in which the election was held, and where a circuit or district court is required to be held, and must issue a summons directed to the person whose election is contested, accompanied with a certified copy of the statement requiring the person to appear within 10 days after the service of the summons and make answer to the statement, which summons shall be served by the sheriff or a constable at least 20 days before the day appointed for the trial. The testimony must be taken by deposition, as is prescribed in Section 17-16-55. (Code 1896, §1695; Code 1907, §469; Code 1923, §557; Code 1940, T. 17, §243; §17-15-27; amended and renumbered by Act 2006-570, p. 1331, §83.)
AL Code § 17-16-55 (2021)
2021 Code of Alabama|Title 17 - Elections.|Chapter 16 - Post Election Procedures.|Article 3 - Election Contests.|Section 17-16-55 - Contest of Election of Judge of Circuit or District Court - Testimony; Heard Without Jury.

Section 17-16-55Contest of election of judge of circuit or district court - Testimony; heard without jury. The testimony on the contest must be taken by deposition as in civil cases at common law, but no affidavit, other than that of the materiality of the testimony of the witnesses proposed to be examined, shall be required. Either party may, on giving five days' notice, require the examination before the commissioner to be oral and that the witnesses be examined separate and apart from each other. The party against whom the depositions are to be taken must have at least five days' notice of the time and place of taking such depositions and of the name and residence of the commissioner or commissioners proposed. The contest must be heard and determined by the court without the intervention of a jury. (Code 1896, §1694; Code 1907, §468; Code 1923, §558; Code 1940, T. 17, §244; §17-15-28; amended and renumbered by Act 2006-570, p. 1331, §83.)