Opinion ID: 1148370
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: determination of intent

Text: Wade argues, as a matter of law, that the intent of voters of certain contested ballots cannot be ascertained and that this is not a factual finding but a legal question. We do not agree. Determination of intent is by its very nature a fact inquiry. See Anders, supra . While it may be true that this Court is in as good a position as the Special Tribunal to determine intent from examination of the contested ballots, Miss. Code Ann. § 23-15-933 (Supp. 1987) imposes factual this inquiry upon the Special Tribunal. The pertinent portions of the statute states: [I]f the findings of fact have been concurred in by all the commissioners in attendance, provided as many as three (3) of the commissioners are and have been in attendance, the facts shall not be subject to review on appeal, and the bill of exceptions shall not set up the evidence upon which the facts have been determined. But if not so many as three (3) of the commissioners are and have been in attendance or if one or more of the commissioners dissent, a transcript of the testimony may be filed with the bill of exceptions, or within such short time thereafter as the Supreme Court may allow, and the Supreme Court, upon a review thereof, may make such finding upon the facts as the evidence requires, giving only such consideration as the court may think warranted to the presumption of correctness of the conclusions of the trial judge. As stated by this Court in Riley v. Clayton, 441 So.2d 1322, 1326 (Miss. 1983): The instant statute is obviously designed to expedite the appeals process in an election case. The necessity for expediency is inherent in the nature of an election contest. By limiting appellate review, the legislature's intent was obviously to hasten the final determination of the election contest while still permitting some form of appeal ... See also: Berryhill v. Smith, 380 So.2d 1278 (Miss. 1980); Anders, supra ; and Prather, supra . Our duty is to respect the Special Tribunal's findings and this Court cannot say that the Special Tribunal was manifestly wrong in its determinations. The vote for the office of supervisor of District One, Tishomingo County, as determined by the Special Tribunal is, therefore, affirmed. AFFIRMED. ROY NOBLE LEE, C.J., DAN M. LEE, P.J., and PRATHER, ROBERTSON, SULLIVAN, ANDERSON, GRIFFIN and ZUCCARO, JJ., concur.