(1) If the clerk of the district court receives a statement as set forth in section 1-13.5-1403, the clerk shall issue a summons in the ordinary form, naming the contestor as plaintiff and the contestee as defendant, stating the court in which the action is brought and a brief statement of the causes of contest, as set forth in the contestor's statement. The summons shall be served upon the contestee in the same manner as other summons are served out of the district court.
The contestee, within ten days after the date of service of such summons, shall makeand file an answer to the same with the clerk of the court in which the contestee shall either admit or specifically deny each allegation intended to be controverted by the contestee on the trial of such contest and shall set in that answer any counterstatement that he or she relies upon as entitling the contestee to the office to which he or she has been declared elected.
If the reception of illegal votes or the rejection of legal votes is alleged as the causeof the contest, a list of the persons who so voted or offered to vote must be set forth in the statement of the contestor and must be likewise set forth in the answer of the contestee if any such cause is alleged in his or her answer by way of counterstatement.
If the answer of the contestee contains new matter constituting a counterstatement,the contestor, within ten days after the filing of such answer, shall reply to the same, admitting or specifically denying, under oath, each allegation contained in such counterstatement intended by him or her to be controverted on the trial, and file the same in the office of the clerk of the district court.
Source: L. 2014: Entire article added, (HB 14-1164), ch. 2, p. 55, § 6, effective February
18. L. 2016: (3) amended, (HB 16-1442), ch. 313, p. 1270, § 17, effective August 10.