OFFICE OF THE A’ITORNEY GENERAL OF TEXAS
AUSTIN
Honorable f . Y. Allm
county Auditor
Ruut Oount~
Orwwille, Tma8
Iv.harm girrn 0 iaemi08t to the
qaortion 8tate(l above as ur moeat lottor.
s rerrrenoe to 8
tfustoe or a 0 he rleotion of ruih
8 trwtw i8 45, Rsvlaed Gitil
, End Celle6 Swt~on,
t&ala,Artfolo 8945).
vaoanoy.oooutfi.~
y the termr of
lmrrral of a trustee
I not poseess the
event ot ouoh air-
sote the sotmtr
n eu0h 0rri00 br
table person qualirlrd by law to not a8
truatsr until ths next regular eleeetion or echo01 truetess
ror suoh dimtrlot.” ~See State ax rd.. li~tllls v. LMnd$rson
(TOG Clr. App.), 86 S. W:(2d) %W+.
With refqrenoe to,the rQht oi the oandldrte poll-
ln& the nsit bigheat vote in the elrotfon whenln an lneliglblr
permtt reooftadthe Sirs0 oholoe or the bleatore, we quote the
roiiowittng rr0m 80 corpus Jurla, 9 w, pe a09 t
“__^yy .._..___.__.._~^_~~^.._- ..-- .-. -- . ..-. ---.-.. __....-.. -.
Honorable J. Y. Allen, Page 2
*It Is a rundamental idea in all republican
iorms of gmerninent tlat no one can be declared
eleoted and no maeure oan be declared oerried,
unless he or it reoeires a maJority or 4 plural-
ity or the legal rote6 east in the eleotion. The
ract t&et a plurality or a majorlt~ of tkm votes
are oast ior an inellglbla candidate at a popular
eleotlon does not entitle the oandldate reoelv-
ing the next highest number or rotas to be de-
clared elected; in such ,caaethe eleotors have
failed to make a choice and the election is a
nullity.'
Therefore, you are respectrully advfsed that the
county board of eduoation should appoint a suitable person
to ill1 the ofrloe of sahool trustee, and that in an eleotlon
wherein the ilrat oholce or the voter8 is a dlsquallrled per-
son, the second choice is not to be deemed as elected.
It may be tlmt your qaestlon bad rererence to a
member0r the oomty board of trustees. Ii 80, our answer
ie the 8ame as above stated, by virtue of the language of Ar-
tlole 2696, Revtised Civil Statutes, a8 amended, Aots 1934,
end Called Se~slon, chapter MB to the erreot that all vacan-
cies on the oountr board ehall be tilled by the remaining
trustees.
Yours very truly
YGEiNERALOFTEXAS
d+
BenlamLn Woodall
Assistant
APpROVE3APR 29, 1940
2W:RS
ATTORNEY GENERAL OF TZXAS