Opinion ID: 1817972
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Sufficiency of the allegations in the Petition for Judicial Review.

Text: ¶ 16. First of all, the circuit court found that Harpole had failed to allege any act, or failure to act, on the part of the KCDEC, which would allow the special tribunal to commence a judicial review of the KCDEC's findings. Both the KCDEC and Tisdale assert that dismissal was appropriate in this action and argue that Harpole failed to set forth with particularity allegations, that if proven to be true, would require a new election. In essence, both parties assert that the proper remedy was implemented when the KCDEC performed an official recapitulation of the vote count to the exclusion of the absentee ballots, and that the special tribunal could have afforded no more relief. Conversely, Harpole argues that his petition before the KCDEC, which was attached to the sworn circuit court petition for judicial review, included detailed allegations concerning numerous absentee ballot violations occurring in several precincts, and generally alleging that he should have been declared the winner of the second primary election, and thus the Democratic nominee for Sheriff. ¶ 17. Miss.Code Ann. § 23-15-927 (Rev.2001), which governs judicial review of executive committee decisions regarding primary election contests, states in relevant part: When and after any contest has been filed with the county executive committee. . . and the said executive committee having jurisdiction shall fail to promptly meet or having met shall fail or unreasonably delay to fully act upon the contest . . ., or shall fail to give with reasonable promptness the full relief required by the facts and the law, the contestant shall have the right forthwith to file in the circuit court of the county wherein the irregularities are charged to have occurred . . . a sworn copy of his protest . . ., together with a sworn petition, setting forth with particularity wherein the executive committee has wrongfully failed to act or to fully and promptly investigate or has wrongfully denied the relief prayed by said contest . . . . Miss.Code Ann. § 23-15-927 (emphasis added). ¶ 18. In Hickman v. Switzer, 186 Miss. 720, 191 So. 486 (1939), this Court examined the legal sufficiency of a petition for judicial review. Moreover, we took the opportunity to interpret specific statutory language requiring that a petition for judicial review set forth with particularity wherein the executive committee has wrongfully denied the relief prayed for. Hickman, 191 So. at 487. In upholding the dismissal of a contestant's petition, we stated: In order for it to appear that the executive committee has wrongfully denied the relief sought, it must appear either from the petition or exhibits thereto that if the matters complained of should be decided in the complainant's favor, the result would be that he and not the contestee would be the nominee for the office in question. Without an allegation to that effect, the petition presents no cause of action. Id. ¶ 19. In today's case, the KCDEC, having found that there were material departures from the absentee ballot statutes, ordered that the absentee ballots be excluded from the certified count. The KCDEC thus invalidated all allegedly tainted absentee ballots by excluding the whole of the class of tainted absentee ballots from consideration and, in so doing, remedied Harpole's grievance. In essence, Harpole attacked the validity of hundreds of absentee ballots in 23 precincts, so the KCDEC threw them all out. The only relief left to grant Harpole which would allow him to prevail in this election contest would be to grant him the extraordinary remedy of a new election. Thus, the only way for Harpole to bring a viable cause of action before the special tribunal would be to assert allegations that require statutory relief by way of a new election. ¶ 20. When determining whether a new election is the appropriate remedy to an election contest, we have stated: The key in deciding whether an act not in strict compliance with the statutory election procedures renders that election void is whether the act is such a total departure from the fundamental provisions of the statute as to destroy the integrity of the election and make the will of the qualified electors impossible to ascertain. Ulmer v. Currie, 245 Miss. 285, 147 So.2d 286 (1962); Sinclair v. Fortenberry, 213 Miss. 219, 56 So.2d 697 (1952); Gregory v. Sanders, 195 Miss. 508, 15 So.2d 432 (1943). Riley v. Clayton, 441 So.2d 1322, 1328 (Miss.1983). ¶ 21. When reviewing election contests, our courts regard the imposition of a new election as a last resort and seek to avoid exacting it as a remedy, if it all possible. Our precedent is quite clear in this regard, and the key consideration in making this decision is whether there is such a radical departure from our election laws so as to require a special election or that alleged illegal votes are attended by fraud or willful violations of election law. In Waters, we affirmed the special tribunal's finding that numerous statutory violations by election officials were such a radical departure from our election laws so as to require a special election. 907 So.2d at 335 (¶ 77). In Rogers v. Holder, 636 So.2d 645 (Miss.1994), we found that a special election was indeed a proper remedy due to the fact that the illegal votes were attended by fraud. Our ruling in Rogers, clearly states the standard by which we are guided when determining whether to grant the extraordinary remedy of special election: Whether the amount of disqualified votes is substantial enough to warrant a special election depends upon the particular facts and circumstances of each case, i.e., the nature of the procedural requirement(s) violated, scope of the violation(s), and ratio of illegal votes to the total votes cast. Rizzo, 530 So.2d at 129, quoting Walker v. Smith, 213 Miss. 255, 264, 57 So.2d 166, 167 (1952). Disenfranchisement of a significant number of voters may create sufficient doubt as to the election results to warrant a special election, even absent evidence of fraud. Stringer, 608 So.2d at 1357, citing Russell, 443 So.2d at 1198. See also, Rizzo, 530 So.2d at 128. Invalidation of more than thirty percent (30%) of the total votes cast is generally sufficient to require a special election. See Russell, 443 So.2d at 1198. However, even where the percentage of illegal votes is small, if attended by fraud or willful violations of the election procedure, this Court will order a new election without reservation. Rizzo, 530 So.2d at 128, citing Harris v. Stewart, 187 Miss. 489, 193 So. 339 (1940); Hayes v. Abney, 186 Miss. 208, 188 So. 533 (1939). The aim is to balance the interest of the electorate with that of the successful contestant. Rogers, 636 So.2d at 650-51. ¶ 22. Absent any allegation of fraud, this Court has relied on a two-part test in order to determine whether to throw out an entire election or to only discount the tainted votes. Noxubee County Democratic Executive Comm. v. Russell, 443 So.2d 1191, 1197 (Miss.1983). Stated in different ways, the test essentially provides that special elections will be required only when (1) enough illegal votes were cast for the contestee to change the result of the election, or (2) so many votes are disqualified that the will of the voters is impossible to discern. Id. [4] at 1198 (citing Walker v. Smith, 213 Miss. 255, 56 So.2d 84, suggestion of error overruled, 213 Miss. at 263, 264, 57 So.2d 166, 167 (1952); Pyron v. Joiner, 381 So.2d 627 (Miss.1980).) In Noxubee County, the executive committee threw out four ballot boxes for which the only deficiency was that the ballots contained in the boxes were initialed by an election official who inadvertently was acting as both initialing manager as well as receiving manager. 443 So.2d at 1198. The disqualified votes amounted to 10.4 percent of the total votes cast. Id. In finding that a special election was not necessary, we stated: The scope of the violations and the ratio of illegal votes are significant, because even in the absence of fraud, the disenfranchisement of a significant number of voters will cast enough doubt on the results of an election to warrant voiding it . . . As a rule, if more than thirty percent of total votes have been disqualified, a special election will be required. See, e.g., Wallace v. Leggett, 248 Miss. 121, 158 So.2d 746 (1963); Ulmer v. Currie, 245 Miss. 285, 147 So.2d 286 (1962); Sinclair v. Fortenberry, 213 Miss. 219, 56 So.2d 697 (1952); May v. Layton, 213 Miss. 129, 55 So.2d 460 (1951). On the other hand, when the percentage of illegal votes is smaller, even though the winning margin is less than the number of illegal votes, a special election may not be required. Pyron v. Joiner, 381 So.2d 627 (Miss.1980) (disqualification of 3.9 percent of the votes did not warrant special election.) Walker v. Smith, 213 Miss. 255, 256, 56 So.2d 84, suggestion of error 213 Miss. 255, 57 So.2d 166 (1952) (disqualification of six percent of the total vote did not warrant a special primary election.). 443 So.2d at 1198. ¶ 23. In the case sub judice, Harpole claims that but for numerous absentee ballot violations occurring in several precincts, he would have been the winner. Since Harpole does not allege fraud or willful violation of election code, we apply the litmus test set out in Noxubee County in order to determine whether the amount of disqualified voters is substantial enough to warrant a new election. Stated differently, we must determine whether a sufficient portion of the voting public was disenfranchised so as to require the extraordinary remedy of a new election. ¶ 24. In today's case, the KCDEC ordered that the absentee ballots be tallied and that the resulting tally be deducted from the certified totals. Thus, it was ultimately determined that of the approximately 300 absentee votes and approximately 4300 total ballots cast, roughly seven percent of the total county vote would be affected. Accordingly, the KCDEC properly determined that the integrity of the second primary election for sheriff would be maintained despite the exclusion of the absentee ballots. ¶ 25. By discounting the tainted absentee votes, the KCDEC granted Harpole the appropriate relief. Moreover, the actions of the KCDEC were consistent with our case law inasmuch as it clearly met the two pronged test set out in Noxubee County. Since the total amount of discounted votes amounted to only seven percent of the vote tally, the remedy of a new election is precluded since this percentage falls well within the range wherein we have refused in prior cases to order new elections. Thus, the disenfranchisement of the absentee voters does not cast sufficient doubt on the results of this second primary election to warrant invalidating the election and calling for a special election. As stated by Judge Smith in his order granting dismissal, the Plaintiff [Harpole] has completely failed to show to the [KCDEC] or to this Court, that any irregularities were of such a gross nature as to call into question whether the results of the election correctly expressed the will of the voters. Since the remedy of ordering a new election in this case was inappropriate, there was nothing further required of the special tribunal by way of an evidentiary hearing. Thus, Judge Smith correctly dismissed the petition for judicial review on this basis.