Atkinson v. Thomas

407 S.W.2d 234, 1966 Tex. App. LEXIS 2698
CourtCourt of Appeals of Texas
DecidedOctober 14, 1966
Docket11468
StatusPublished
Cited by7 cases

This text of 407 S.W.2d 234 (Atkinson v. Thomas) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals of Texas primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Atkinson v. Thomas, 407 S.W.2d 234, 1966 Tex. App. LEXIS 2698 (Tex. Ct. App. 1966).

Opinion

HUGHES, Justice.

This is a statutory election contest, appellant Reginald Atkinson being the contestant and appellee Sam Thomas being the contestee. Both parties were candidates at the Democratic Primary Election held in Irion County on the 7th of May 1966 for the office of County Judge. The official result of the election was 285 to 284 in favor of appellee. The result of this contest in the court below was 283 to 277 in favor of appellee.

Appellant has challenged the validity of twenty one votes on the ground that the persons casting such votes had not resided in Irion County for the last six months prior to the election. Art. 5.02 Election Code, Vol. 9, Vernon’s Ann.Tex.Civ.St. The first seven of these challenged votes were cast by single persons and they will be first discussed. The relevant facts regarding these voters will now be stated:

Maxine Van Court

Miss Van Court is a school teacher. She teaches outside of Irion County. She registers her automobile and has paid her poll tax in Irion County. Her father and mother live in Irion County and Miss Van Court spends her holidays and summers with them. Miss Van Court was reared in Irion County.

R. B. Mitchell

Mr. Mitchell was reared in Irion County from the time he was a small child. He owns property in Irion County, does his banking there and has voted there since 1920, and has never voted elsewhere. He considers Irion County his home.

Mr. Mitchell testified, in part, as follows:

“Q And where do you presently live, please sir?
A My home is in Irion County.
Q All right. And where do you live?
A I stay at present with my sister in San Angelo.
Q And at what address ?
A 121 North Poe.
Q How long have you stayed with your sister at that address?
A Well, I’d say off and on for about four or five years.
Q And where did you stay previous to the time that you stayed there with your sister?
A Most of the time here in Irion County.
Q Do you own the home there at North Poe?
A No, sir.
And are you married, Mr. Mitchell ? a
No, sir. .<⅞
Q And at any time during the past four or five years have you stayed at any other place other than there in San Angelo with your sister ?
A No, I haven’t; other than there and here in Irion County.
Q Do you have a home or anything here in Irion County?
A I own property here, yes sir.
*238 Q Do you have a house that you actually stay in at night?
A There’s a place — there’s several places here that I spend the night any time I am here.
Q But you don’t actually have a house ?
A I don’t own a house. I own other property.
Q Well, is it rented out?
A No, sir.
Q And during the last year have you spent the majority of the nights in San Angelo at your sister’s?
A I have spent the majority of the nights in San Angelo, yes sir.
Q And it is just occasionally that you come over here?
A I won’t say occasionally; I am over here quite often.
Q How often would you say ?
A I’d say an average of about twice or three times a week.
Q And is it for several hours a day when you come over here ?
A Well, sometimes I spend the night here, maybe two or three nights; other times I’m just here for a few hours and go back.
Q Do you stay with some friends when you might spend overnight ?
A Yes.
* * * * * *
Q How long has it been since you had some livestock out here ?
A I think about three years.
Q Why are you living in there with your sister at the present time ?
A My sister, she is not exactly an invalid, but she needs someone to be with her, and I am in the same shape.
Q I believe you are a disabled veteran ? A That’s right.
Q World War II?
A That’s right.”

Mr. Mitchell paid his poll tax for previous years in Irion County and did his banking business there. He thought Irion County should be his home.

Arthur Mclnteer

Mr. Mclnteer is unmarried. He has voted in Irion County for the past 33 years, owns property there, considers Sherwood, in Irion County, his home and plans to live in Irion County when he retires. Mr. Mcln-teer testified, in part, as follows:

“Q And where do you live?
A Well, I live at the ranch at Big Lake, about a couple of miles the other side of the county line.
Q And is that in Reagan County ?
A Yes, sir.
Q And do you work there on this ranch ?
A Yes, sir.
Q Whose ranch is it ?
A. Mrs. Vester Hughes.
Q And how long have you worked on this particular ranch?
A Oh, about 29 years.
Q Been there quite a while, haven’t you?
A Two or three days anyway.
Q And have you lived on this same ranch during that 29 years ?
A Yes.

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Bluebook (online)
407 S.W.2d 234, 1966 Tex. App. LEXIS 2698, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/atkinson-v-thomas-texapp-1966.