Opinion ID: 1364196
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: the concept of malconduct

Text: Boucher v. Bomhoff, 495 P.2d 77 (Alaska 1972), held that malconduct, as used in AS 15.20.540, means a significant deviation from statutorily or constitutionally prescribed norms. Boucher involved a ballot proposal whose wording introduced a significant bias into the vote, in addition to being a significant deviation from constitutionally and statutorily prescribed norms. Id. at 80-81. If a bias has been introduced into the vote, we read Boucher as holding that malconduct exists if the bias can be shown to be the result of a significant deviation from lawfully prescribed norms. In the case before the court, we find no evidence of any irregularity causing bias in the vote. All irregularities were random in their effect, if any, on the casting of votes. Irregularities containing no element of bias, even if they amount to significant deviations from prescribed norms, do not necessarily constitute malconduct. Significant deviations which impact randomly on voter behavior will amount to malconduct if the significant deviations from prescribed norms by election officials are imbued with scienter, a knowing noncompliance with the law or a reckless indifference to norms established by law. [3] Thus, evidence of an election official's good faith may preclude a finding of malconduct under certain circumstances. [4] In concluding that there was malconduct on the part of election officials, the superior court, in several instances, cumulated individual irregularities which, when analyzed separately, did not amount to malconduct because such irregularities did not constitute significant deviations from prescribed norms. Under the facts presented, it was error for the trial court to cumulate isolated instances of irregularity to support a finding of malconduct. We believe that each alleged deviation from a statutorily or constitutionally prescribed norm must be analyzed individually to determine if it is significant and to ascertain if it involves an element of scienter. Once it is determined that the individual instance of noncompliance amounts to malconduct, a determination must be made of the number of votes affected. The total number of votes affected by all such incidents must then be considered in ascertaining whether they are sufficient to change the result of the election. It may be that, in rare circumstances, an election will be so permeated with numerous serious violations of law, not individually amounting to malconduct, that substantial doubt will be cast on the outcome of the vote. Under such circumstances, cumulation of irregularities may be proper and will support a finding of malconduct. See, e.g., In re Contest of Election of Vetsch, 245 Minn. 229, 71 N.W.2d 652 (1955). In the case at bar, however, while we find instances of malconduct, the isolated instances of irregularity do not so permeate the election with numerous serious violations of law as to cast substantial doubt on the outcome of the vote. Alaska elections are primarily conducted by many volunteer workers. Unique problems are presented in the vast area encompassed as well as the varied cultural backgrounds and primary languages of voters. Under these circumstances minor irregularities and other good faith errors and omissions may be anticipated, although we do not condone any such departures from lawful requirements. From the evidence presented, the errors that occurred in this election appear to be of that nature. There were no such numerous serious violations as to permeate the entire election process, so as to require the extreme remedy of a new election. Accordingly, the superior court's conclusion, based on cumulation of irregularities, that a new primary election is required, is reversed.