§17-13-82. Contest of nomination to county office - Appeals from decisions of county executive committee.

(a) Either party to a contest under this article shall have the right of an appeal to the state executive committee from the final decision of the county executive committee upon the same. Notice of such appeal shall be filed with the chair of the state executive committee within two business days after determination of such contest by the county executive committee. At the time of filing with the chair of the state executive committee the notice of appeal, such appellant shall deposit with the chair of the state executive committee the sum of one hundred dollars ($100) to cover such cost and expenses as may be incurred by the state executive committee to hear and determine the appeal. Upon the filing of any such appeal, the chair of the county executive committee from whose decision the appeal is taken shall certify to the chair of the state executive committee, forthwith upon receiving notice of such appeal, a transcript showing a complete record of the proceedings before the county executive committee in such contests, and also a statement of the substance of the testimony of each witness taken on the trial of the contest before the county committee. Such statement may be offered in evidence upon the hearing of the appeal by either party to the appeal.

(b) The chair of the state executive committee, upon the filing of an appeal, shall call the committee to meet and the committee shall meet not more than five calendar days from the time of the filing of any such appeal for the purpose of hearing and determining the same. Upon a final determination of the appeal, the chair of the state executive committee shall issue to the county executive committee from which the appeal was taken the order of judgment of such state executive committee upon the appeal, and the county executive committee shall immediately act thereon in accordance with the terms of such order of judgment. Upon the failure or refusal of such county executive committee to comply with the terms of such order or judgment within the time named in such order or judgment, such state executive committee, if it is then in session, otherwise, the chair of such state executive committee, is hereby vested with full and complete authority to take such measures or adopt such steps as it may deem necessary to carry out such order or judgment, and is invested with all the powers of such county executive committee or its chair insofar as such powers may be necessary or convenient in carrying out such order or judgment.

(c) The chair of the state executive committee may appoint a subcommittee of not less than three to hear and decide any contest, and the subcommittee so appointed shall, if so authorized by the chair of the state executive committee, have all of the power and authority given to or possessed by the state executive committee to hear such contest. The subcommittee may be appointed to hear evidence and report their recommendations to the full state executive committee.

(Acts 1931, No. 56, p. 73; Code 1940, T. 17, §§382, 383; §17-16-82; amended and renumbered by Act 2006-570, p. 1331, §63; Act 2014-6, §1.)