Court Opinion

ID: 9589622
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-21 23:46:50.981404+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T13:29:14.631574
License: Public Domain

Felton, Justice,
concurring specially. 1. I concur in the judgment insofar as the seven appellants, exclusive of Governor Maddox, are concerned, for the reason that, in my opinion, the decision in Fortson v. Morris, 385 U. S. 231, supra, is controlling on the question whether any of their claimed constitutional rights were violated by the provision of the Georgia Constitution attacked in this action by these appellants. I cannot see much difference between being deprived of the right to vote for or against a candidate for Governor in this case and the Fortson case. In neither case could the people elect a Governor by their direct votes.
2. As to Governor Maddox’s contentions, I concur in the judgment of the trial judge for the reason that the prohibition against Governor Maddox’s succeeding himself is a provision in the Georgia Constitution. In such case there is a presumption that the people had a compelling reason or compelling reasons for the inhibition against a Governor’s succeeding himself. The burden of proof was on Governor Maddox to show the absence of such reasons, and no evidence was introduced to carry this burden. There were reasons argued why the inhibition was justified, but they amounted to no more than argument and little more than figments of the imagination. The burden would be on the State to show a compelling reason for the inhibition if a statute were attacked as being unconstitutional (Williams v. Rhodes, 393 U. S. 23, supra) rather than a provision of a State constitution.