Jones v. Winters

369 P.2d 135, 1961 Okla. LEXIS 345
Supreme Court of Oklahoma·Decided December 19, 1961·No. 39857·Published·Cited by 5 cases

Opinions

[136]*136JACKSON, Justice.

Jenkin Lloyd Jones, a citizen of the State of Oklahoma, brings this original action individually and as Relator, seeking a review of the apportionment of the House of Representatives as provided in 1961 by House Bill No. 1033 of the Twenty-Eighth Legislature of the State of Oklahoma, 14 Okl. St.Ann. §§ 97-101.

Petitioner prays that said House Bill No. 1033, pertaining to the apportionment of the House of Representatives be declared null and void, and contrary to the Constitution of the State of Oklahoma; that the Election Board of the State of Oklahoma be advised, instructed and enjoined against performing any clerical or ministerial act or acts in furtherance of said Act of Apportionment; that publication of any election returns conducted pursuant to said Act of Apportionment be declared void and unconstitutional; that this court render a decision that will preserve “the free and equal rights of ballot”; and that this court issue such writs as it may have the constitutional and inherent right to issue in furtherance of petitioner’s constitutional rights, and that it grant such other and further relief as may be consistent with constitutional rights, as well as the general welfare of the people.

The problem, and the questions presented by petitioner, are not new in this jurisdiction. See Jones v. Freeman et al., 193 Okl. 554, 146 P.2d 564; Jones v. Cordell, Secy. et al., 197 Okl. 61, 168 P.2d 130; and Romang v. Cordell, 206 Okl. 369, 243 P.2d 677.

In Jones v. Freeman, supra, petitioner sought to test the validity of the various legislative apportionment acts enacted since the adoption of the Oklahoma Constitution. He alleged that all such apportionment acts were contrary to express constitutional provisions and sought to require the next election to be held under the apportionment as made by the Constitution. In the body of the opinion we said:

“In 1911, 1921, 1931, and 1941 the Legislature enacted statutes apportioning representation in the House of Representatives, S.L.1910-11, p. 266; S.L.1921, p. 69; S.L.1931, p. 9, 14 O.S. 1941 §§ 81-85; S.L.1941, p. 39, * *
“That the acts complained of do not comply with the requirements of the Constitution is plain.” [193 Okl. 554, 146 P.2d 568.]

In Jones v. Freeman, we further said.

“It may be well to first point out the things that we may not do. We may not make the reapportionment ourselves, since that duty is legislative in nature, and is, by article 5, secs. 9 and 10 of the Constitution, vested in the Legislature. Such is the holding of the courts of the other states under constitutional provisions similar to ours. Parker v. State, above [133 Ind. 178, 32 N.E. 836]; Burns v. Flynn, 155 Misc. 742, 281 N.Y.S. 494, 495, affirmed 245 App.Div. 799, affirmed 268 N.Y. 601, 198 N.E. 424; Williams v. Secretary of State, 145 Mich. 447, 108 N.W. 749. Assuming that section 10(j), above, is self-executing, it does not follow that this court would have authority to revise and change the districts as fixed by the Legislature and as urged by the petitioner. While in some instances the words ‘review’ and ‘revise’ are used synonymously, we do not believe the framers of the Constitution so used the word ‘review’ in said provision. This court should not assume such authority, which is generally considered a legislative function, except where the language used is plain and compelling. It should not do so by a process of construction of * * * doubtful meaning. Neither may we, by mandamus or otherwise, require the Legislature to enact proper apportionment statutes. The theory of separation of the powers of government prevents our doing so. The Legislature, being a co-ordinate branch of the government, may not be compelled by the courts to perform a legislative duty, [137]*137even though the performance of that duty be required by the Constitution. 18 R.C.L. 186; Fergus v. Marks et al., 321 Ill. 510, 152 N.E. 557, 46 A.L.R. 960; Parker v. State, above. And finally we may not try title to legislative offices or enjoin the payment of legislative salaries. Fergus v. Kinney, 333 Ill. 437, 164 N.E. 665; In re Sherrill v. O’Brien, above [188 N.Y. 185, 81 N.E. 124].”

In the fifteenth paragraph of the syllabus in Jones v. Freeman, supra, we held:

“The Supreme Court will, in its discretion, refuse to issue a writ of mandamus to require elections to be held under the apportionment made by the Constitution, where to do so would result in greater inequality of representation than that provided by other laws, * * ⅜ ff

In Romang v. Cordell, 206 Okl. 369, 243 P.2d 677, 679, supra, the petitioner therein challenged the constitutionality of House Bill No. 348 of the 1951 Legislature (14 O.S.1951 §§ 93-96). His prayer was that we issue a writ of mandamus directing the defendant therein, J. Wm. Cordell, Secretary of the State Election Board of Oklahoma, to refuse to accept and file notifications and declarations of candidacy for nominations and election to certain offices as members of the House of Representatives. In the body of the opinion we said:

“It is not necessary to here discuss, in detail or at length, the constitutionality of the act under consideration. It violates the provisions of Article V, section 10 of the Oklahoma Constitution in the same particulars and to approximately the same extent as the previous apportionment acts and is, therefore, subject to the same criticisms which were discussed thoroughly in the case of Jones v. Freeman, 193 Okl. 554, 146 P.2d 564, 573. * * *
“Of much more practical importance is the other proposition with which we are confronted, namely, whether or not this court has power to grant the relief sought. In its zeal to prevent another from violating the provisions of the Constitution and exercising a power not authorized thereby, the court should not overlook the fact that its authority also springs from and is limited by the provisions of that same fundamental law. In a democratic form of government, the constitution is the expression of the will of the people, the source of all governmental power and authority. Therefore, if a power is not, by the constitution, conferred upon some department or officer of the government, it remains in the people.”

We have carefully examined the Apportionment Act of 1961 and find that it does not comply with the requirements of Art. 5, Sec. 10, Okla.Const., and is subject to most of the same criticisms that were levelled at former apportionment acts. It would serve no useful purpose to reiterate them here.

Having concluded' that the Apportionment Act of 1961 does not comply with the requirements of the Constitution, and having heretofore held in the cited cases that prior apportionment acts do not comply with the requirements of the Constitution, our choice is between two alternatives. (1) We could enjoin the State Election Board, as prayed, from performing any clerical or ministerial acts in furtherance of the Act of Apportionment of 1961. In doing so the State Election Board would necessarily be required to follow the apportionment provided for the House by Art. 5, Secs. 11, 12, 13, and 14, Okla.Const., since we have rejected all prior apportionment acts as not complying with the requirements of the Constitution. This would result in greater inequality of representation in the House than will result from the apportionment provided for in the Apportionment Act of 1961.

Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI

Jones v. Winters, 369 P.2d 135, 1961 Okla. LEXIS 345 (Okla. 1961).

369 P.2d 135 (Jones v. Winters) — published by Counsel Stack Legal Research, free access to 12M+ legal documents.

Related

Moss v. Burkhart
207 F. Supp. 885 (W.D. Oklahoma, 1962)
Brown v. State Election Board of the Oklahoma
1962 OK 36 (Supreme Court of Oklahoma, 1962)
Jones v. Winters
369 P.2d 135 (Supreme Court of Oklahoma, 1961)