Minutes 04-24-47MINUTES OF SPECIAL MEETING OF THE CITY
COMMISSION~RS OF THE CITY OF BOYNTON
BEACH WHO ARE SITTING AS A CANVASSING
BOARD FOR THE RECENT ELECTION OF
APRIL l~, 19~7 ~ND THE ATTORNEYS AND
CANDIDATES OF THAT RECENT ELECTION -
lq~,T,D APRIL 2~ 19~7
A special meeting w~as called for ~oril 2W~ 1957 of the City .
commissioners of the- City of Boynt?n .Bea?.h for_t~e p~urpo~se~ ~filsli~tl~7'
as aCanvassing Board on the recen~ e-ec~lon o~ ~ayo~.. o.~ &p.. ,
At this-m~eting the,~ candidates and attorneys representing ~nem were
asked to be present.
Present at the
meeting were:
Paul Mercer~ Mayor
B. V. Tattersall, Vice Mayor
Clarence Benson, City Clerk
F. L. Purinton, Candidate
Mr. Donnell, representing Mr. Purinton
G. Melton Partin, Candidate
Mr. Miller, representing Mr. Partin
T. B. Whitfield
C. J. Koepke
~. L. McCoy, representing City of
Boynton Beach
The meeting was called to order by Mayor Mercer whereupon the
attorneys requested a short recess in which to have a meeting of minds
in regard to the law governing elections.
Thereupon~ immediately following the recess, Mayor Mercer again
called the meeting to order and Claude L. McCoy, Attorney for the City
of Boynton~Beach made the following statement to the Commissioners
"Gentlemen: - I have conferred with Mr. Donnell, representing
Mr. Purinton and Mr. Miller, representing~Mr' Partin, and I believe we
are agreed upon the law governing 'the procedure of this Boar~ ~i~h
canvassing of the election returns of the recent election held for the
office of Mayor,,that is, that the City Co~mission, sitting a~ a
Canvassing Board are an administerial and not a Judicial body and as
such, they are bound to accept the returns of the ~lection Board unless
those returns show upon their face that they are fraudulant or way out of
line, then it wo~d be your duty to return those returns to the Election
Board and it may make a proper return.
"You have no authority as a Canvassing Board to declare the election
illegal nor do you have the authority to declare any votes illegal.
"Your duty is purely one to accept and read the returns of the
Election Board and with that I would suggest that you have the ballot
box and returns of the ~!ection Board brought before you for the purpose
of making a canvass ~ud immediately following receipt and acceptance,
the candidates and the attorneys adjourn for a conference to see if some
peaceful settlement covering the differences over the election~ can be
Thereupon, the sealed ballot box was brought before the Commission.
The City Clerk, Mr. Benson, broke the seal and opened the box. The
Election Board return was t&ken from the ballot box and read by Mr.
Benson - and whiehwas in words and figures as follows:
STATE OF FLORIDA :
COUNTY OF PALM BEACH :
CITY OF BOYS~fON BEACH:
SS
TO THE HONOR~_BLE MAYOR AND C3MMISSION~RS OF
TPf~ CITY- OF BOYNTON BEACH, FLA.
We~ the undersign?d Inspectors and Clerk of th9 election he~d
on the i$th day of ~.prll, 19~7 for t~e purpose of electing incumbent
to the office of Mayor and Commissioner, do hereby certify that at
such election the total votes east were 622 of which
Carl J. Koepke reeeiv?d ~ ~/9_~votes
G. Melton Partin received---~l votes
F. L. Purinton received ~votes
T. B. %~itfie!d received ~ %2 votes
received votes
There were spoiled ballots ~
knd we~ such Insoectors and Clerk~ do make the foregoing
as our retua'n to yo~ of the results of such e!gction, and we do
declare the above and foregoing to be the result of such election.
(si~ned_) _Andrew R. B__ernie
Insoector
(signed) 'Mylma M.F.Slavens
Inspector
(.signed) Mrs. Clara Shep~rd
Inspector
(signed) ~lice L. Shepard
Clark
The matter of the election return was t~ken UP by the Commission
and it ~ppe~ring regulsr upon its face, Commissioner Tattersal] made
motion to accept the election return which in turn was seconded by
CoSmissioner Benson~ all Co~missioners voting in the affirmative.
Thereupon the successful candidste, F. L. Purinton~ was declared
by the Mayor to be the d~ly elected Mayor of the election held on the
l$th day of April, A.D. 19~7.
Thereuoon the 'City &ttorney, the candidates and the attorneys
representin~ the candidates adjourned to a private place for
conference.
Immediately uoon their return, Mayor M~rcer asked for a report
d
of the conference an Mr. Donnell~ representing F. L. Purinton ~ade
the following statement:
"There seems, according to investigation~ quite probable six
votes that ware illegally cast. There may be five or six other votes
that may be illegally cast. Therewere sig~ed affidavits of these
six voters but still these six persons are-not on the registration
books and did vote. The law sta~e~ you are not allowed to vote unless
registered. .~ ~o ~se~m~
Owing t6 the fact that there nas oeen a question
validity of the.eleetionat which he was elected Mayor, Mr. purinton
does not want fO accept the office of Mayor Emder these circumstances
and,. further, wish to advise you, for this reason, Mr. Purinton will
refuse and now refUses to gualify as Mayor with the suggestion that
a special election be held for the purpose of filling the vacancy
in the office of Mayor".
The City Commission, having completed its acts as a Canvassing
Board, upon motion regularJymade and seconded, the meeting was
Mayor
$-25-k7
Vice-Mayor
City ~Clerk