Court Opinion

ID: 9550944
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-07 18:45:34.115645+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T15:22:47.859777
License: Public Domain

On Petition for Rehearing.
KEETON, Justice.
Subsequent to the filing of the opinion in the 'above entitled case, respondent filed a petition for rehearing, contending that by the decision appellants would be permitted, on the taking 'of further evidence, to submit testimony from persons whose qualifications to vote had not been challenged. Further testimony on the part of appellants, if any, should be limited to the persons challenged by the amended complaint.
The opinion states “appellants had the right to show that sufficient of the votes which respondent contended were illegal had been so cast as not to invalidate the election” thus limiting the offered testimony to the alleged disqualified voters set forth in the amended complaint.
A re-examination of the transcript discloses that the following names, to-wit: Jess Ytarte ,found in the amended complaint as Jess Ytusate (presumably the same person), Myrrl Heller, shown in the complaint as Myrel Heller (presumably the same person), Joe Eguia, Ruth Tuller and Charles B. Tuller, were alleged in. the amended complaint to be disqualified voters *383who had voted “yes”. The offered testimony of Edward D. Robertson and Geraldene Robertson, which was offered to prove they were disqualified voters and had voted “no” was properly sustained, for the reason that it was nowhere asserted in the amended complaint, nor by the answer, that said persons were in anywise disqualified, and until they were alleged by the plead-, ings to be disqualified the qualifications of persons voting, so to vote, would be pre-' sumed. Presumptions are in favor of the legality and regularity of a bond election proceeding, and the votes and ballots cast, and the votes cast at the election would be presumed to be legal until the contrary were shown. Where, a’s here, the answer does not affirmatively challenge any voters, further proof should be limited to those persons whom the amended complaint alleges were disqualified voters. If such persons so challenged voted “no” and were disqualified from voting, then the “no” votes of the persons challenged should be subtracted from the total “no” votes shown by the returns,, to determine whether or not the bond election, in fact, carried.
Respondent should also be permitted to show, if he desires to do so, that other persons named and set forth in his amended complaint were disqualified and voted “yes”. Petition for rehearing is denied.
GIVENS, C. J., and PORTER, TAYLOR and THOMAS, JJ., concur.