Fluker v. Wolff

46 So. 3d 942, 2010 Ala. LEXIS 49, 2010 WL 996527
CourtSupreme Court of Alabama
DecidedMarch 19, 2010
Docket1081708
StatusPublished
Cited by13 cases

This text of 46 So. 3d 942 (Fluker v. Wolff) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Supreme Court of Alabama primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Fluker v. Wolff, 46 So. 3d 942, 2010 Ala. LEXIS 49, 2010 WL 996527 (Ala. 2010).

Opinions

PER CURIAM.

Larry Fluker appeals from a judgment against him in an election contest filed by Pete Wolff III challenging Fluker’s election to the office of mayor of the City of Evergreen. We affirm.

Facts and Procedural History

On October 7, 2008, a runoff election in the mayor’s race was held in the City of Evergreen (“the City”). The two candidates were Wolff and Fluker, the incumbent. Fluker received 1,028 votes and Wolff received 1,026 votes. On October 14, 2008, the City certified the election results, and Fluker was declared the win[945]*945ner. On October 15, 2008, Wolff filed a contest of the election in the Conecuh Circuit Court. Wolff claimed that legal votes were offered and rejected, which if cast and counted, would have increased the number of legal votes in favor of Wolff to a number that exceeded the number of legal votes in favor of Fluker. Wolff also claimed that illegal votes were cast in favor of Fluker and that if those votes were not counted the number of legal votes in favor of Fluker would be reduced to less than the number of legal votes in favor of Wolff. On October 16, 2008, Fluker responded, claiming that illegal votes were cast in favor of Wolff and that legal votes in Fluker’s favor were rejected and that if both were taken into account his vote tally would still exceed Wolffs.

On October 20, 2008, Wolff filed a motion pursuant to §§ 17-16-45 and -46, Ala. Code 1975, for an examination of the ballots, documents, and election materials, which the circuit court granted. The circuit court set a hearing for December 22, 2008, and December 23, 2008. At the December hearing, Wolffs counsel indicated that he would be challenging persons who voted in the runoff election whose names were not on the list of registered voters maintained by the secretary of state’s office. Wolff had a voter list from the secretary of state’s office dated December 19, 2008. Wolff indicated that he would be challenging voters on several other grounds as well.

Wolff called Peggy Howell, the clerk for the City, as a witness at the hearing. Howell testified regarding the compilation of the voter list used by the City. Howell was asked about absentee-voter information on several voters.1 Wolff presented the testimony of seven voters who cast votes in person on October 7, 2008, and three voters who voted by absentee ballot:

1. F.D. testified that he was registered to vote but that someone signed an application for him to vote by absentee ballot even though he signed the affidavit affirming that he was voting. F.D. testified that he did not know whom he voted for on his absentee ballot because someone had come to his home and asked him to vote.
2. T.M. testified that he voted in person in the runoff election. He stated that he voted for Fluker. On cross-examination, T.M. testified that he registered to vote on a Sunday but that he did not remember if he registered on September 21, 2008, or September 28, 2008.
3. C.H. testified that he voted in person in the runoff election. He stated that his birth date was correct on the secretary of state’s voter list that was shown to him. He stated that he voted in district four. C.H. testified that his address was on Main Street, but that the City’s list for district four showed a different address.
4. P.C. testified that she voted in person in the runoff election. She stated that the exhibit shown to her by [946]*946Wolffs counsel and identified as exhibit one (the secretary of state’s voter list) had the correct street for her address but an incorrect number. P.C. stated that she voted for Fluker. Wolffs counsel later stated that P.C.’s name was not on exhibit one.2
5. N.G. testified that she voted in person in the runoff election. She stated that when she went to vote, her name was on one list but not on another list so she was told to get an identification card from the board of registrars. N.G. stated that she obtained the card and voted. She stated that her address had changed from when she had originally registered to vote years ago as a result of a new emergency 9-1-1 system. Wolffs counsel stated that N.G.’s name was not on the secretary of state’s voter list.
6. E.R. stated that she voted in person in the runoff election. She stated that she was not on the voter list when she went to vote because she had married and the voter list had her listed under her maiden name. Wolffs counsel stated that neither E.R.’s maiden name nor her married name were on the secretary of state’s voter list.3
7. R.T. testified that he voted in person in the runoff election. He stated that he voted for Fluker. Wolffs counsel stated that R.T.’s name did not appear on the secretary of state’s voter list.
8. B.W. testified that she voted in person in the runoff election. Wolffs counsel indicated that B.W.’s name was not on the secretary of state’s voter list.
9. A.S. testified that he voted by absentee ballot and that he voted for Fluker A.S.’s application indicated as his reason for voting absentee that he would be out of town, but his affidavit indicated that he was working a shift that kept him from voting on election day.
10. K.C. testified that he voted by absentee ballot and that he stated on his application that he would be working a shift that would not permit him to vote. K.C. stated in his affidavit that he would be out of the county on election day.

Fluker presented the testimony of two voters regarding their addresses and two voters regarding the date they registered to vote. Next, Wolff challenged 39 absentee voters to whom a subpoena to testify had not been issued. The overwhelming ground for challenging the absentee ballots was that the names of those 39 absentee voters were not on the secretary of state’s voter list dated December 19, 2008. Other reasons for the challenges included, among other things, voting in the wrong district of the City, questionable or incorrect addresses, postmark issues, residency issues, failure to have two witnesses or a notary on an affidavit, improper identification, questions regarding inconsistent signatures on affidavits and applications, and questions regarding inconsistent reasons for voting by absentee ballot. Wolff challenged several votes on more than one ground. Wolff also alleged that 106 additional voters were not on the secretary of state’s voter list.

Fluker challenged 28 absentee ballots that had been cast for Wolff. He chal[947]*947lenged 6 absentee voters for using improper identification; he challenged 5 absentee voters for problems with the postmarks on their envelopes; and he challenged 17 absentee voters for failing to state a reason for voting by absentee ballot. Next, Fluker called W.B. to testify regarding his residency. W.B. stated that he voted for Wolff. Fluker also called Patsy Chapman, a member of the Conecuh County Board of Registrars, as a witness. Chapman testified as to the compilation of the voter list for Conecuh County.

On March 26, 2009, the circuit court held a second hearing. At the outset of the hearing, the court indicated that the purpose of the hearing was to determine the duties and responsibilities of the secretary of state’s office in the runoff election.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
46 So. 3d 942, 2010 Ala. LEXIS 49, 2010 WL 996527, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/fluker-v-wolff-ala-2010.