Harrell v. Pine Grove Consolidated School District
Harrell v. Pine Grove Consolidated School District
Opinion of the Court
The bill of exceptions, as finally corrected and certified by the trial judge, states: "Be it remembered in the case of the State of Georgia vs. Pine Grove Consolidated School District, the same being a petition to confirm and validate bonds in the sum of twenty thousand dollars ($20,000), filed to the May term, 1938, for the superior court of Lowndes County, the court did, on the 19th day of November, 1938, try and determine said cause.” Paragraph 1 of the bill of exceptions assigns error on the overruling of the demurrer to the petition. This demurrer was properly overruled. Even if it is conceded that paragraph 2 of the bill of exceptions properly raises the question "that seventy-six votes cast in favor of the bonds were not cast by a majority of the registered voters of said school district,” the exception is not meritorious, for the duty to purge the list of registered voters is imposed upon the registrars. "It is nowhere provided that the duty of purging the lists of registered voters required to be furnished to the election managers shall be imposed upon the judges of the superior courts.” Fairburn School District v. McLarin, 166 Ga. 867, 869 (144 S. E. 765). The judges of the superior courts can not "deduct disqualified voters from the number of voters appearing upon the registration list furnished by the tax-collector to the election managers, in order that the number of votes cast for bonds shall thereby constitute a majority of the registered voters.” Buchanan v. Woodland Consolidated School District, 168 Ga. 626 (2) (148 S. E. 663).
Paragraph 3 of the bill of exceptions, as finally corrected and certified by the trial judge, is here quoted verbatim et literatim as folloAvs: “That the judgment of the court confirming and validating said bonds was contrary to laAv for the reason that one hundred and seventeen ballots were deposited in the ballot box and that seventy-six votes were not two thirds of said number; although two of said ballots appearing not to have had stricken therefrom the AA^ords: 'For Schoolhousel or the words 'Against Schoolhouse’ appearing thereon, that is to say, neither of such ballots shoAving on AAdiich side of the question being Aroted on at the bond election Avas
As we construe paragraph 3, it is merely a statement of the contentions of the plaintiffs in error, and the judge merely certified that the plaintiffs in error made these contentions, but the judge did not certify that the facts set out in these contentions are in fact true and correct. There is a purported brief of evidence in the record, but it can not be considered by this court for the trial judge has not approved it or any other brief of evidence. Fruit Dispatch Co. v. Roughton-Halliburton Co., 9 Ga. App. 108 (70 S. E. 356). The plaintiffs in error having interposed objections based upon facts, the proof of which does not appear in the record by evidence properly before the court, the objections in this paragraph depend for their existence upon evidence aliunde the record. The intervenors in the court below, now the plaintiffs in error, did not carry the burden placed upon them of proving facts which would support their contentions, which the judge, in paragraph 3 of the
Moreover, even if we consider paragraph 3 or any part thereof as a recital of fact-, it conflicts with the specific finding of fact as stated in the judgment. Therefore there is a conflict between the bill of exceptions and the record, and the bill of exceptions must yield to the record. In the judgment, the judge stated that he found from the evidence that a specific fact existed, and in the bill of exceptions he certified that this specific fact does not exist. If we had a brief of evidence, this court could determine whether the evidence authorized such a finding. It should be noted that the judgment is not a general judgment such as states only one finding which is a final conclusion of the court, but here the judge states in his judgment that he specifically found from the evidence that certain, separate, component facts have been established and that each of these component facts, when taken together, make up the whole of what the statute states constitutes a prima-facie case for the validation of the bonds. Powell v. Consolidated School District, supra. In other words, the judge specifically states in his judgment that he made certain specific findings of fact after having heard the evidence as to each of such findings and, basing these findings of fact thereon, he made up his judgment by applying the law to these facts so found.
We overrule the amended motion to dismiss the writ of error on the ground that neither of the intervenors, now the plaintiffs in error, was a voter and taxpayer or resident of the district in question, because the judgment specifically found as true the facts alleged in the petition and answer and in all exhibits, including exhibit “D.”
Unless the statement in the judgment that, “upon consideration of the proof submitted in support of all the allegations of the petition and answer, and objections being made to the issue of the bonds described in said petition. . . It appearing further that all the facts alleged in said petition and answer, and in the exhibits thereto attached and made a part thereof, are true . . ,”
Judgment affirmed.
Dissenting Opinion
dissenting. It appears from the bill of exceptions and the record, without necessity for reference to any brief of evidence, that a bond election was regirlarly called for the Pine Grove Consolidated School District of Lowndes County; and that ten days before the election the tax-collector and registrars furnished to the managers named for said election a certified list of qualified registered voters for said Pine Grove Consolidated School District, containing 130 names. A day before the election, upon the authority of the registrars and the tax-collector of Lowndes County, the name of J. N. Alexander was also authorized to be added to the list, his name having been left off the certified list by inadvertence. At the election 117 votes were deposited in the box; 76 voted for the
It appears without dispute that, not counting J. N. Alexander, 116 voters cast ballots in said election. While it is true that two of the ballots cast were improperly marked, they were nevertheless cast. Prior to the present law, and under constitutional provisions for the creating of a public debt, there were required two thirds of all the qualified voters in the political division attempting to create such debt, voting in favor of such debt. See Goolsby v. Stephens, 155 Ga. 529, 537 (117 S. E. 439). Under the present law as embodied in the Code, § 2-5501, only two thirds of those voting al an election called for such .purpose are necessary, provided such two thirds constitute a majority of the registered voters of the political division attempting the creation of the debt.
In validation proceedings it has been held that while illegal votes or votes which are shown to be illegal may be thrown out and not counted as a part of the necessary two thirds required, such disqualified votes or voters’ names can not be deducted from the list furnished by the tax-collector or registrars to the election managers “in order that the number of votes [qualified] cast for bonds shall thereby constitute a majority of the registered voters.” Buchanan v. Woodland Consolidated School District, 168 Ga. 626 (supra); Calloway v. Tunnel Hill School District, 51 Ga. App. 101 (179 S. E. 737). By a like process of reasoning, ballots improperly marked which may not be counted either for or against the bond issue, are not to be deducted from the number of votes east in such election. The qualified affirmative votes cast must be two thirds of those voting. Two ballots were improperly marked, according to the record in this case, and were not counted either for
I think, also, it was error to fail and refuse to count the vote of' J. N. Alexander. If this vote had been counted, the total votes east would have been 117. J. N. Alexander was a qualified, registered voter of Lowndes County, according to the certificate of the tax-collector and registrars furnished to the election managers before the election. Code, § 34-407, provides: “Any person who has registered for any general election shall, if otherwise qualified to vote at any special election before the next said general election, be listed and entitled to vote at such special election.” It is true that a voter might not qualify after the list had been made up by the authorities and furnished to the managers ten days before election, and by reason of this fact then have his name included in such list; on-the other hand, the failure of the tax-collector or registrars, through inadvertence or design, to put his name on such list ten days before the election will not prevent them from including his name on such list before the election is held. A qualified registered voter may by mandamus compel the registrars to include his name in the registered list of voters. See Bearden v. Daves, 139 Ga. 635 (77 S. E. 871). The list of voters to be furnished election managers, under the provisions of the Code, § 32-1401, should include all the registered, qualified voters resident in the district affected. It is true that'this list so furnished is conclusive evidence; after an election, as to the number of voters in such district, and
The trial judge refused to certify the bill of exceptions as first presented to him, but notified counsel in writing, a copy of which was attached as a part of his certificate, in which he said paragraph 3 of the bill of exceptions “does not set forth all that actually transpired in reference to tlié matters therein referred to, and that this paragraph should have affixed thereto as a part thereof, and it is so directed, the following recital,” and then follows a statement of facts as set forth above. The bill of exceptions was amended so-as to incorporate this recital of fact by the trial judge, and was certified by the’trial judge; and in his certificate it was further ordered that the statement of facts as contained in the written objections of the trial judge be made a part thereof. The certificate is a statement of facts as “actually transpired,” and is not a mere certificate as to the contentions of plaintiffs in error.
I have considered this case in the light of the record and the bill of exceptions without reference to the brief of evidence which does not appear to have been approved or certified by the trial judge. The letter of instruction of the trial judge- to counsel for plaintiffs in error, pointing out the defects in the bill of exceptions as originally tendered to the judge, was followed by the plaintiffs in error by amending or remaking their bill of exceptions, and such amended bill of exceptions was certified by the trial judge as true, and as
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