95 Neb. 161 | Neb. | 1914
Charles F. Furley' was elected county commissioner of Cedar county at the general election held in November, 1909. He entered upon the duties of the office, and was exercising the same at the time this action was begun. At the general election in 1912 Edward H. Carroll was a candidate for the office and Furley was a candidate to sue-, ceed himself. Carroll was elected, and qualified. On January 9, 1913, he appeared before the board of county commissioners and demanded to be seated and recognized as a member of the board. The demand was refused on the ground that Furley’s term of office had not expired. This action was then brought to oust Furley. Judgment of muster was rendered, and from this judgment Furley appeals.
The information pleads the facts as stated The re- . spondent’s answer is to the effect that at the time he was elected in 1909 he believed that the term of office was for only three years, but that he aftenvards ascertained that under the laws of this state his term did not expire until the expiration of four years; that the election of November, 1912, was unauthorized and illegal; and that Carroll has never filed with the county clerk of Cedar county the statement required under the corrupt practice act (Comp. St. 1911, ch. 26, art. III).
The first question presented, and the most important, is whether the term of office of a county commissioner in a county with three commissioners is three years or four years. Respondent concedes that from the adoption of the Revised Statutes of 1866 until July 4, 1905, the length of ■ term of such office was three years, but he- maintains that by the provisions of sections 54 and 55, art. I, ch. 18, Comp. St. 1905, the term of office was changed from three to four years. At the 1905 session of the legislature an
It is next contended that Carroll failed to file a statement in conformity with the corrupt practice act (Comp. St. 1911, ch. 26, art. Ill), and therefore his election was void. A statement was actually filed which the district court found to be in substantial compliance with the statute, but it was not as full in all respects as the law requires. The county clerk determined that the statement was sufficient and duly issued the certificate of election. It is not contended that Carroll did not receive the certificate, take the oath required by law, and file a bond. The corrupt practice act does not provide that the incumbent of an office may retain it and refuse to surrender the same to the holder of a certificate of election in the absence of a judicial determination that the person holding the certificate has violated the law and has been ousted from the office in a proper proceeding. The statute provides that the person elected who fails to file the required certificates of expenses shall he liable to a fine, and also provides that if an elector presents an application verified by his affi
The remedy is given by a special statute and must be sought by means of the special action created in the act. If a judgment had been rendered- ousting Carroll, this would have been a perfect defense, but until such judgment is rendered the respondent cannot avail himself of the claimed insufficiency of Carroll’s statement.
The judgment of the district court is
Affirmed.