Opinion ID: 1436318
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Ballots Deposited with Voter Identification Numbers Attached

Text: Section 3055 provides in part: . . . the election officer shall direct the elector . . . to remove the perforated corner containing the number . . . . Any ballot deposited in a ballot box . . . without having the said number torn off shall be void and shall not be counted. Following this section the Recount Boards in a ruling sustained by the court below refused to count ballots that had been cast where the perforated corner containing identifying numbers had remained attached. There was no direction on the face of the ballot instructing the voter of the need to remove that particular portion before casting the ballot nor is there any evidence on this record that would support a finding that voters who cast the ballots in question were, in fact, advised of this requirement by the appropriate election official. Our research has revealed a dearth of cases for this jurisdiction on the point at issue. We have found only one lower court case addressing an analogous situation, Morganroth Election Case, 50 D. & C. 143 (1942). In that instance the election official had given the voter a ballot where the perforated corner had been removed prior to the receipt of the ballot by the voter. We are of the opinion that even if the above averment is true we would not be warranted in rejecting this entire vote, thus disfranchising all the citizens who cast their ballots in that district. If the averment is true, the election officer did not perform the duty required by law, but, as pointed out before, it is not alleged that this was done fraudulently or corruptly by the election officer or that the voter had joined in a conspiracy to receive a ballot without the number and, consequently, we regard it as a mere irregularity in the absence of all allegation as to fraud, not affecting the result of the votes cast at this poll, and it has been uniformly held that irregularities will not avoid an election even though the election officers may be subject to punishment. (Citations omitted). 50 D. & C. at 159. Unquestionably, the preservation of the anonymity of the voter, and the integrity of the vote are legitimate aims for a state to seek to achieve through legislation. Equally as obvious is that this section was designed to permit a citizen to cast his vote in such a manner that he may enjoy complete insulation from untoward influences in the exercise of his judgment. However, while it is most appropriate for the state to legislate to achieve these ends those regulatory measures must not ever be permitted to unduly infringe upon the exercise of the right to vote. Clearly, the invalidation of a ballot where the voter has complied with all instructions communicated to him and in the absence of any evidence of improper influence having been exerted, invalidation would necessarily amount to an unreasonable encroachment upon the franchise and the legislative enactment should not be interpreted to require such a result. To rule otherwise would unnecessarily condition the right to vote upon the proper discharge of the responsibility of an election official over whom the voter has no control. As suggested by the court en banc in Morganroth, compliance by an election official with his legislatively mandated duties is better achieved by direct action against the derelict official rather than depriving an innocent citizen of his most precious right.