Case Information
*1 / OFFICE OF THE A-ITORNEY GENERAL OF TEXAS PCS AUSTIN
f?onorabU T, E. TrinibZe
ulrst A8eiatant
stats S&lprlnt5ndant
Auetia, TuxU
if0 Or0 In ret30
whicrh ruds ao followsa
awa of Uorrlr county r0r 15, but it io thought Will fall bola tabulatdl *2 *B, If youi- anawor is that euoh ayyGr.itee WOtia 88N0 Only Ullti.3. t&O 38Xt ~0J2%r~;L 0bOthl, t&In In YihQt s!nnner wotild oatd:~tca for l&o url- expired tlarcl pr0eont their oonhitiaaise far otfloe?
Xn oonaeotion wirh Uris qwstiaa, your a%tentlon is oalled to the raot that it ie too late to ills one~s rbquost to bd plaaod w tii lwuooratlo yri-
"5. uoeo Conuutodonors' Court, pending th0 iiDa td%bUhhtiOII Or th0 QUIZWIt OeUSUS ( hWt0 the power to appoint aoma euitablo pwaon to ocinduot thsmaira Qi thb offimP ix4 asmcie the scibla6tfo of iiopcld populetfon
County ior the yoar 1936 w&a in ezoee8 OS WOO and the offioo of County-auperintandqt @‘o~arly eatabll&@6.
Artiols 26&3, lie C* S., 1925, a8 aunmdo8, pmvifkm aa f0llcma:
-Iho Ctisolanera’ court 0r wary oounty hvlng three thourand 3,000) soholmtfo Papua- tlon or more as ahown 6 p t&o preaeCing afamuo ahall at a Goner01 Elsotlan prod40 fw the oioo- tlon of a Count SuprL*ocdaz& to 60~70 ror tern or four (4 yLuu%, who 8ball be 9 parion J
of eduaatlonal attainz6nta, good rsaral oharaotar, and ox8outiva abfllty, and. n&o eh& be provided by the Co*tn;Lseloner8~ Co'urt with aa oriioa la ‘Qie LxoUrthou5e # am? with aQ0088aay orrios furnl- lie ahalA M tho holder of a turo anfl fixtures. teooherls flret gmata osrtiflouto or taobe4r*s permanent aartlfloato. IA ffory county 0hal.l attain thrae thweand (3,000) doholmtlo gqmla- tion or aore the Cocoiaaslonorr* Court diallap- point awh 5upctrlntendent who ahall perioznitho of suoh 0m00 uriti;L tlla el~otion em! duties III ooultiss q~lifl~otl~ hi5 ~~OWSOS,
having leeo than three thoumnd (3,000) ooholaae- tie population whenever more than twsnty-flvo per aunt (23~4) of A0 qualiXiod votero of 0ait-t oounty as .&own by the vote for Governor t the pood- lni; G8nerrZL i1eorian shau. pct1ticm tho coKa&a,- th02aw~, ad 0f~%rd c0urt court t3ha 0raer whetha an eleotion for oaid oounty to drPf0milne *3 or not the offLeo OS Oounty superintendent 8hnl.l bo mwetod in eald oountyt and, If a rPajority of the :;ualliYoU pro tupayln~: voter8 votlag at rty 5haG voto Sor tho areatUan OS the said 0lwUor~ In UIQ ooLintg, 0rr10e OS awnty S~rlntQndQll8 the Coamieeianore~ Court at Its nert ro after the hol4ln$ of ad JMtlon ehalez:~ the offloe ol Oounty S orlhtonded an6 neao couaty mpwlntanaeuht 3 0 elmll Qmkfy unmr this tin mxt Gonorm CW~g~~~and ho14 euoh oft100 uatll I. that In all ooulltl~e hevlJlg . Erwlde4, a g0pulaticrn in *LOOSE or tbrrr hutma and riftp thouem (330,OCtO) inhabitanta aooomlingto tha loet avoi3sblo Yodem& O@nWe tho County i!iqWrln- tuiaeat ahell be a goint8Q by County Boar4 of Muaation and SL 11 ho14 off100 for tuo (i!) yore, provi404 turther, this provlelon shall not opereto so a* to aoprlvo any elo0t.d Buperlaton4ont or hle ofrloe prior to the uplm- tion of the term ior whlah ho &me km l oetr4;
lo population of botuoaa thmo tboue eaho&etfee, whtr:in an4 flvo thoueeM(b,OW) the otiiee 0r a0uu8p mqerlsan4rpt has 000 brrn arut an6 a superiatwrbma% oleoted, than ia aueh oo#ntlce the quoetion 0r whet&u or not suah offloe 18 etabllrbrd shall be detardnrd by t&e qudifietl totOr& of oald aoutzty a ape- olal ol6otlon odkob ti;omior by tho CombUioaoro' court or 05id 00u0ty upon petition th5w0r as hrrdnabovo ~pfioifi~b~~ la part a8 iollower
Artlolo dl780, R, &, 19U'rrdo -he offlao 5uprinteatIont ai publl0 0r a0mty ir hemby o&-bate&; and Lho eom~&rlon- inetruotloa in thic sta:e havlq ref oourt of every oowtp tbroo thousand soholastio population eo shown by the ~%'a- oeUFn$ eoholaaetla musue, shall provldo for tbo e~loatlcm of a oouaty l up r:ZntanOsnt publio lnr- tmtlon eaah &anoral ol.ootfon . . .*
~m0ie 27~1, ii. C. G., i985, prow05 in pati (U r0ii0wr *u oaah aountp having no eohool euporlntudent the oounty j&Q34 -11 eouaty supar- ba 6% ol’fioio anti ehall periarr all tho duties roqufr*d intan&4nt of the away euporlntendant In this ohaptor . l .*
1.50 .-> Honorable i. L, TrlrGble, p&p 4
In sit3 cuse OS 34iller ve 3rowa, (Ta C. A. 1919) 218 2. ,x. 452, l:stiole 2750, R. &, 19U. wae 0011~trtk~tl by the oourt a6 iollowar
*By the artiolea rcfarred to, othar than 2750, it olearly apprro that the 6oholartio 66nLluB of iT86ltio County takvm l.n May an6 Juh0, 1928, for the aoholaatlo year byliml,ng with siaptenber of tht yeas waQ ths n4xt preoeding eeholaatio om.m~e'takea prior to the gensti sleotion held on NWembm 3, 1928, aJ&u the Qno oontroui.ll& the motioa OS th6 ~oairiLmrion6rB' in prwidiryi SW the oi60oi0a to th6 alrio 00ud OOdr 4i0tm 0s th8 rioi ". . .
"IS vi0 are not TWr La our oanstru8- tiarr 0s tb0 abw8 am010 that the orrio 0s in6wu0th d6- 00wy oup0~lnt~mt.tt 0s pbu0 pcurtbt s0r ita 6~irt0~0r upaa tb 00rea:tw 0s tb sohdartilo oeumur m&oh @aeraS elootiua, than, would b6 IlO
of the ohowht& OS the ohelaotio oonsua likeuleo by reason OS th6 rhwln& OS l oholastlo oan1 1u~, ha8 no further exiotenoe, 2otmtial or othe~~leo.. .*
In that oesa the reholaatio oamua ha@ Sullea klcw 3000 on a general eleotlfnt yoaz MC although an sow lng non-oleatlon par rhe oem1u axossded 3000 It maa held the Off la6 did not exist. da oall aPtsnttan to the faot Lho statute them ln question Sixed two yeer terxua 80 that an eleo- t&on would be holLd at every &eneraL sleotian ai& also note the rsrisonlag OS th8 court ta the efseet ti6 axisteuoe or eon- tlnuano@ OS the ofiioe depends upon the caoltingimoy o;bIltloned. E
Eonorable Z. il;. Trimble, me 3
*tie are of the opinion that under the tcrrrrrt OS this Artiole the status of a County ia deter- nAtm& by the aoholastio ocueue next >z-cooW~& the elsotlon. In 0586 a auperintcndent4 +J sleeted in a county awl at the tl60 of olectlon said county has in excea8 OS thr60 thouBall (3,000) ooholAstioo then the Saot that ths soho&stIos fall below three thouamnu (3,000) would not esseot the etatuB of &ho County supsrhnd~t but hs nay continua until ho ha5 sex-red the remialntl~P the four (4) ysar tern pavvi6ed for. of oourse, at ths erplrstim of hie tea if the prsosd.lng soholastlo oensus ohows less than three thoueand (3,000) soholastlos then no county Bu~erintsndsnt should bs ei00t0a to auo- oeed the lnounbsnt."
tie rem11011 ie &Won for this holding but it must hats been based upon. -die proposltlon that whm.~ established, tho of- Sloe ooatfnuod for the full sour ysar te*-m 018Q we Poulc hsvs akf;nty superlntendaat entitled to houI 4~. ofSLoe uP'Soh did not
.
It la our opinion the oSSioa of county suparia- tandcsit of &orrio County havfr& bosn sstabllshotl by teaa~~~ oi the soholastlo oeneus prsaediq the eeusral eleotion in 8wss1- her, lY%, being In exo~os of 3000 soholastlos, euoh OfSioe odors into exlstenae Sow years notwltistandlng such ocnsus atight drop beluw 3000 during t&s years intsrv+nia&tbs i@neralslso- tion years whloi~ t?re offloo woul6 re$ular~ be tilled. Ks are Surther OS the opinionthat the~death OS the inourabsntwauldnot to hs S5llsd as herob- the office but oreate a raoamg destroy aftor point& out. Pour first pueartlcm 1.e triareforo answer& in the nagtlve.
rrtlole 2336, il. C. 8.. 19z35, a.0 emmded, ram68 as SOllW81
"The oolirt (oor;enieaioaers' oourt) shall have pow? to fill ~aom~~lee tn the ofrice of: , l . County supcrintsnCent or Pub110 InstlWotlQn. 3uoh vuoanols~ ~ahm3.l be Sllbff by a mijorlty vote OS azad. voting, Qnb oetlbers OS said oourt, prewont gareon ohoaen sbaY.1 h&I offlos until t.hs next @enoral eleotlonr"
Under the uutho~iiiy of the abovs etatut; and our oplnioll HO. o-604 the fumw%r to your seeoll~ gusstion I.8 yorr *6 Eonmable T . i;. Trtibls, pa&W 6
tour tLlr6 qwstlon 18 nnsmmd by our 0plnions::No. o-1664, 0404, unc Art1010 2353, a. c* .!3*, M8S. In 0gla1on it WeIS atatodr Ho. 0-1664 Yihsre hem been no u~¶lola.l oaostkuotlon
of Axtlols 8333, oiorsn i d, as to the offloe OS oounty 80ho01 *U~Pln~.nt. BOWWYOP, the lAnguag0 I* oloar and not to ountrary oanstruotlon than that the cp (I ms$ be up Sm aleotloa, mid to l leotlen et tha nut @n- that the offloe asul elaotlon, and torn of the appolntre tit8 will oxplre on Janurrylstsollml~t~ naxtgul- an1 aeotloP.*
iilth nSerenoo to four fourth qu~stloa we oaSl yout ~ttolbtl~ tQ Art1010 8973 R40*3*, 1933, for the ia part as SO E wldla& OSSI~~L ballot whioh mad. oust
‘The name dill l ppoor on th? ballot uxidor Gho hsadof ths psr%~$hatnomlnatssthsm, swat as otheawl~ protided br this tltloi MO nam a Lll a~- on the offidti bal.bt US*pt OS 08&i- &at+ who was aotuallg aminmtotl (*ither as a party actmlnso or as a non+prblron or lndepeahat oan61- bate) In aooordanoe with the prorlslas of thla title.* ArtlO& 3100 to 3l33, It. G* so, 1933~1600Aa .lootlonoSpart~noain~r by ~rtl.8 of one h Artlolor 3l.M to 3133, H. C. S., 1633 goride ad w4r* rotoe for the selsotlon of QU%Y mmi~~eos by gaHA.8 of tan humsand and less than ORO hundred thousand, and Artiole 3163 B. Ce Se, 1933,prariddssthsmsthodSoraa indepsndantoan6lda~Sror~ oolortpvoffias to have his nam prlatod upon the ofSiolal ballot.
lutilsl# 3961, 8. C. S., 1933, reads as follows: *?ihsn a. voter d~slms ta rota a tloket shallruna moilor ~nthrou&b stralght,he all other tiolcets on tbo osiioia1 ballot, makin a aiatlnot martid Une-thron& suoh tlo&t not fin- tondsd to be W.Od; md whsn he shall derln to tlokst he shal31L do so by m&aning vote a &ml line through naraee of amh ~dldates as he shell dsalro to vats apinrtt Ui tiio tlekot !a@ is voting, and by writing the mm as tis oariaiacate for rdho?n ho dealrem to vote in UN blank colU6n or&e4 EWE offfiee~ samb to bo cm% in epEioe wrltttm with r laok ink or penail, unlees t&s xmsss OS t&o cUdMats for whlcrh u dosl~eS t0 vote ap- piar on t&o ballet, w&ioh evurt he shall lsav@ the sam not eoratohedc*
iionoroble T. A. ‘irimble, pa@ 7
mtm is no rsQuirewxt thut a oendldate r0r 0rrio0 hiwe hit3 mite4 printed upon the 0rrlom ballot. u the mma the oandLdot.8 or the votorec ohoioe la not printed upon the 0r gcsneral eledtion ballot hs my vote hi8 ohoico by writing the aondldatq*o zbaa% J.n the blank spume prirovit%? for pur- p060, The raot that it i8 now too late ror a oenbidato r0r nominee or the ihmooratla party to get hie namb printml upon primtry slootlon ballot, or an rsr t.mt matter, the raumo 0r se8nooratio party to rdeot a noadme, will not arhot tha tight Or t&O QeOgh to GOOt II COUntY SUp~i~t~UttO~ t th0 g0n- es&l elwaion in Noveabor.
Yroa the anawbra to queaticxm one, two aad throw 1% that your rifth qwation ohm&l ba answrr*d in tbr af- r03.utw8 rirnrrtlv4, howevsr the appoiat&mnt would not be mmoly pcabing a mm1 tabd.atlcm or the oonmw but in ao%ordanoo with our anbuw to queotfon nunber three.
3ia efla1olle homuith eopis~ of opinlono Ho. o-604, 04604, 04.210 and 04416.
Yours very truly ATTOREEY WitCEXAI. OY TUA3 A?i-'i';,:'Z:‘JLJL 8, 1940
~lQQu.+.G
ATTORNEY GENERAL OF TEXAS