Opinion ID: 1788430
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Illegality of Votes

Text: In determining which votes are illegal or invalid, the general rule is that a violation of voting procedure which 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 renders the tainted votes void. Stringer, 608 So.2d at 1361, quoting Riley v. Clayton, 441 So.2d 1322, 1328 (Miss. 1983). We require strict compliance with the statutes concerning absentee ballots. Stringer, 608 So.2d at 1361. Nonetheless, absent evidence of fraud or some intentional wrong, technical irregularities will not invalidate an election. Wilbourn v. Hobson, 608 So.2d 1187, 1192 (Miss. 1992). While we have stated, [A]ll statutes limiting the voter in the exercise of his right of suffrage are construed liberally in his favor, in order to ascertain the will of the majority of the voters, Wilbourn, 608 So.2d at 1193, this liberal construction does not refer to situations in which there were allegations of fraud or intentional wrongdoing, but only to situations where the irregularities were caused by mistakes of voters and/or election officials. Wilbourn, 608 So.2d at 1193. The burden to prove fraud in conjunction with the votes at issue rests with the party seeking to invalidate the ballots. Wilbourn, 608 So.2d at 1193; Miss. Code Ann. § 23-15-931 (1972).