Opinion ID: 1889587
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Walker's Sword: Herein of How Albert Walker Becomes Hoist Upon His Own Petard

Text: The merits of the case turn on the four ballot boxes disqualified for violations of Miss. Code Ann. § 23-3-13 (1972), which provides that: Upon the opening of the polls, and not before, the managers of the election shall designate one of their number, other than the manager theretofore designated to receive the blank ballots, who shall thereupon be known as the initialing manager... . The purpose of this provision was set forth in Prescott v. Ellis, 269 So.2d 635 (Miss. 1972). Quoting Sinclair v. Fortenberry, 213 Miss. 219, 56 So.2d 697 (1951), we said: There are obvious reasons why the legislature should have provided that the initialing manager shall be a person other than the manager designated to receive the blank ballots. The legislature was attempting to safeguard the integrity of the ballots and to prevent the fraudulent substitution of other ballots for the ballots marked by the voters. The initialing manager is required to place his initials on each ballot before it is deposited in the ballot box thereby attesting the genuineness of the ballot. If the manager designated to receive the blank ballots were permitted to serve as initialing manager, he might easily substitute other ballots initialed by him for ballots marked by the voters. 213 Miss. at 231, 56 So.2d at 701-02. 269 So.2d at 636. In Prescott, the court held the above-quoted statutory provision mandatory. In this connection, it is important to consider the stipulation agreed to by Walker and accepted by the trial court. We quote from the transcript of the proceedings below: BY THE COURT: As I understand it, both the Contestant and the Contestee each agree that the Center Point Box, the Shuqualak Box and the Summerville Box, due to irregularities, are improper votes  improper marking of the ballots. All three Boxes will be thrown out and not counted in the totals of the Democratic Primary with the exception of the absentee ballots. BY MR. JOLLY: (attorney for Russell): That's correct, Your Honor. BY MR. BAMBACH: (attorney for Walker): That's correct, Your Honor. BY MR. JOLLY: Your Honor, may I point out to you, just for the record, that is Shuqualak Box 3. BY THE COURT: Shuqualak Box 3. Thank you, sir. Now, I'd like to ask the Contestant and the Contestee. Mr. Walker, do you agree with this also, sir? BY MR. WALKER: I do. BY THE COURT: Mr. Russell, do you agree with this, sir? BY MR. RUSSELL: I do, Your Honor. BY THE COURT: Is there any objection from the members of the election commission and also members of this Tribunal? BY THE ELECTION COMMISSION: These three Boxes will be thrown out and not counted in the total votes in the Noxubee County election with the exception of nine absentee ballots at Center Point, seven for Russell and two for Walker; 16 absentee ballots at Shuqualak Box 3, seven for Russell and nine for Walker. The other totals will be subtracted at the appropriate time. I believe that's all you gentlemen were able to stipulate in the chambers; is that correct? BY MR. JOLLY: Yes, sir. [Emphasis added]. Walker has unequivocally judicially agreed that the three boxes are disqualified and that no votes cast there may lawfully be counted. Thrown out are the words announced in the stipulation and agreed to by all. The only deficiency in these three boxes is that in each case the receiving manager and initialing manager were one and the same person. This constitutes a violation of Section 23-3-13. These three boxes would have been disqualified under Prescott v. Ellis, 269 So.2d 635 (Miss. 1972) whether the parties agreed to it or not. If all of this be so, it surely follows that each and every other box which may suffer the same or similar defects must likewise be thrown out. Treating like cases alike is surely the most fundamental principle of justice as fairness. Seen in this context, Prairie Point No. 2 box must be discarded. The uncontradicted facts are that Virgie J. Stewart served as the receiving manager and the initialing manager. This violation renders the votes cast there ineligible for counting. This is so because of the rule of Prescott v. Ellis, supra . This is so under elementary notions of justice. Accordingly, after the disqualification of all votes in Center Point Box, Shuqualak Box No. 3, Summerville Box, and Prairie Point No. 2 Box, we hold that the final, official and lawful returns of the Second Primary Election for Democratic Party nomination for the office of Sheriff of Noxubee County held August 23, 1983, to have been: Cecil Russell 2565 Albert Walker 2499 Cecil Russell is, therefore, the party's nominee.