117 Ky. 810 | Ky. Ct. App. | 1904
Opinion op the court by
Affirming.
Tliis is a proceeding by rule in the nature of quo warranto to determine whether appellant or appellee is entitled to perform the duties of the office of sheriff of Lee county for the period intervening between the November election, 1903, and the first Monday in January, 1901. At the November election, 1901, W. E. Jones was elected to the office of sheriff of Lee county, and entered upon the discharge of the duties thereof on the first Monday in January, 1902, and continued to act as sheriff until his death, which occurred in the month of September, 1902. On September 25th after his death the appellant, John E. Jones, was appointed to fill the vacancy caused thereby, and after his qualification entered upon the performance of the duties of the office. As the vacancy caused by the death of W. E. Jones occurred within three months of the next succeeding annual election at which either city, town, county, district, or State officers were to be elected, no election was or could be held to. fill the vacancy in the office of sheriff until the regular November election, 1903, at which election the appellee was duly elected sheriff of Lee county to fill the unexpired term for which W. E. Jones had been elected, and at once executed his official bond and took the oath of office as required by law. At the
Section 152, Const., contains the following provision: “Except as otherwise provided in this Constitution, vacancies in all elective offices shall be filled by election or appointment as follows: If the unexpired term will end at the next succeeding annual election at which either city, town, county, district or State officers are to be elected, the office shall be filled by appointment for the remainder of the term. If the unexpired term will not end at the next succeeding annual election at which either city, town, county, district or State officers are to be elected, the office shall be filled by appointment until said election, and then such vacancy shall be filled by election for the remainder of the term. If three months do not intervene between the happening of said vacancy and the next succeeding election at which city, town, county, ¡district or State officers are to be elected, the office shall be filled by appointment until the second succeeding annual election at
There seems to be nothing in either the Constitution or statutes of this State fixing the time at which one elected or appointed to fill a vacancy in office shall assume the duties of such office. It would, however, have been impossible for the appellee to have entered upon the duties of the office, the vacancy in which he was elected to fill, at the beginning of a term, for the term began on the first Monday in January, 1902, nearly two years before his election. Except as the beginning or ending of a full 1erm of office, the first Monday in January has no more significance than the first Monday of any other month.
The term of the office of sheriff is four years, no more and no less. The present term throughout the State began with the first Monday in January, 1902. The term had but one beginning, and will have but one ending, though there may be a dozen incumbents during the one term. The appellant was not appointed to serve during the remainder of the
The fact that the statute requires one elected to the office of sheriff for a full term to give bond by, and begin the duties of his office on the first Monday in January, following his election, and that his failure to do so shall forfeit his right to the office, does not compel one elected to fill a vacancy in that office to defer his qualification, or the commencement of his duties until the first Monday in January, any more than does the statute providing that the failure of one appointed to such vacancy to qualify within 30 days after the date of his appointment shall forfeit his right to the office, require such appointee to defer his qualification for and the taking of his office, until the end of the 30 days. Whether elected or appointed to such vacancy, the one so elected or appointed has the right to qualify and enter upon the performance of the duties of the office at once.
Being of the opinion that the lower court properly decided that appellee was entitled to the possession of the office of sheriff of Lee county immediately upon his election and qualification, the judgment is affirmed.