Opinion ID: 1859740
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Invalidation of 495 votes for failure to state a reason for voting absentee.

Text: Based on the allegations set forth in Mr. Fowler's complaint and amended complaint, and the testimony and evidence presented at the trial, the trial court invalidated a total of 518 absentee votes, 517 of which were votes cast for Mr. Womack. 495 of those absentee votes were invalidated because the voters did not state a reason for voting absentee on their applications for an absentee ballot. Because these 495 votes for Mr. Womack make up the majority of the votes invalidated by the trial court, we consider them first. Arkansas Code Annotated section 7-5-402 (Supp.1999) provides that only the following persons may cast absentee ballots: (1) Any person who will be unavoidably absent from his voting place on the day of the election; and (2) Any person who will be unable to attend the polls on election day because of illness or physical disability. The absentee-ballot application form provided by the county clerk and used by the voters in this case was substantially similar to the form set out in Ark.Code Ann. § 7-5-405 (Supp.1997). On that form, each voter was asked to check one of two reasons listed in section 7-5-402 that qualify a voter to cast an absentee ballot: Because I ____ will be unavoidably absent from my voting place on election day, OR ____ will be unable to attend the polls on election day because of illness or physical disability, I am requesting that you provide me with the appropriate absentee ballot(s) for the following elections. The trial court did not err when it threw out 495 votes for Mr. Womack because the voters who cast those votes failed to indicate a statutory reason for voting absentee on their absentee-ballot application. In Roach v. Kirk, 228 Ark. 958, 311 S.W.2d 525 (1958), we held that a voter who failed to state a reason for being absent from the polls on his absentee-ballot application was disqualified from voting absentee. Likewise, in this case, the failure of 495 voters to indicate a statutory reason for voting absentee on their absentee-ballot applications disqualified them from casting absentee ballots. Mr. Womack argues that even though these voters may have violated our election laws by not indicating a reason for voting absentee on their absentee-ballot applications, their votes should not be invalidated for such technical failures. We disagree. We have held that there must be strict compliance with statutory provisions regarding the application for and casting of absentee ballots, even if the challenge is brought after the election has occurred. Bingamin v. City of Eureka Springs, 241 Ark. 477, 408 S.W.2d 607 (1966). See also Martin v. Hefley, 259 Ark. 484, 533 S.W.2d 521 (1976); Phillips v. Melton, 222 Ark. 162, 257 S.W.2d 931 (1953); Logan v. Moody, 219 Ark. 697, 244 S.W.2d 499 (1952). Furthermore, there is no merit to the argument that these absentee votes should not be invalidated because voters filled out their absentee-ballot applications based upon incorrect advice given by the county clerk's office. The absentee-ballot application form provided to each voter in this case was clear and accurate. Nothing on that form prevented a voter from knowing what information was being requested, or from properly inserting the requested information on the form. Because we have determined that the trial court correctly invalidated 495 votes cast for Mr. Womack, only twenty-three votes remain at issue. Many of those votes were invalidated by the trial court for several reasons. We will now address various other reasons given by the trial court to invalidate votes cast for Mr. Womack.