122 Ky. 508 | Ky. Ct. App. | 1906
— Affirming.
The appellant and appellee were opposing candidates for the office- of county; superintendent of common schools for Whitley county, at the November election, 1905.. The board of election commissioners for that county canvassed the returns, and found that the ¿ppellee had received a majority of votes east, and the board issued to her a certificate of election. On November 25, 1905, appellant filed a petition, under section 1596a of the Kentucky Statute 1903 and made appellee a defendant, and sought to have the court declare that she was not elected to the office; but that he was. He alleged in substance that she was not eligible or legally qualified to hold and perform the duties of the office, for the reason that she was not twenty-four years of age, at the time of her pretended election, nor would she be on January 1st, succeeding her pretended election, the time fixed by the statute for her to take the oath and assume the duties of the office. He also alleged that she was ineligible for the reason that she was a woman. He further averred that the ballots furnished by the county clerk used in the election, in the various voting precincts were illegal and void, and for that reason tire election should be declared void.
On December 16,1905, the appellee filed her answer, controverting the petition, and asserted that appellant and the county clerk, an ardent supporter of his, were responsible for the kind of ballots which were used at the election. On December 22, 1905, the appellant filed his reply which completed the pleadings. The apellant completed the taking of his proof, on January 6. 1906. 'The appellee did not take any testimony. On the 26th of January, 1906, the court
Under the provisions of Rev. Stats. c. 32, art. 7, section 1, subsec. 8, p. 444, Gen. Stats, c. 33, art. 7, section 1, subsec. 8, p. 520, Ky. Stats. 1899, section 1531, subsec.-8, those authorized by law to determine the rights of the parties in contested election cases
In our opinion when the General Assembly enacted this statute, in lieu of the former statute, with reference to the trial of contested elections, it w'as intended to relegate the question of eligibility or legal qualifications for the office to a different or other mode of procedure. Consequently the lower court was without power in this action to pass upon the eligibility of the contestee to the office in contest.
■ For these reasons, the judgment of the lower court is affirmed.