By Conrad Dudderar
Senior Staff Writer
EL RENO – Canadian County District Judge Paul Hesse at a Thursday hearing upheld the results of a contested Ward III Piedmont City Council election.
Ryan Austin Redus has apparently won the city council race by a 108-104 vote over Megan Dawson. Two other candidates received 47 votes in the June 30 municipal election.
Canadian County Election Board Secretary Wanda Armold confirmed the judge’s decision and said she’s awaiting a signed order by the judge so she can call a special Election Board meeting to certify the results.
Dawson challenged the election when she filed a “petition for irregularities contest” on July 3 with the Canadian County Election Board.
“To the best of my knowledge, multiple people were not given their ballots to vote in the Piedmont City Council election,” Dawson wrote in her petition. “This occurred at multiple polling places, not just one in particular.”
Dawson claimed citizens were told they were not registered in Ward III and it was a congressional election only.
“Also, citizens witnessed other voters submitting the ballots for SQ (state question) and Congress, then exiting the polling place, then re-entering and being handed a ballot for city council,” according to her petition.
“Another instance a person had filed for an absentee ballot and said they had not had time to mail in and were given ballots to vote.”
Redus on Thursday morning filed a “contestee’s answer” to Dawson’s contest through his attorney, Gideon A. Lincecum.
The response, filed in Canadian County District Court, refers to the “alleged irregularities”:
“(T)here is not one shred of credible evidence that any eligible voter was denied the right to vote, that ballots cast were not properly recorded, or that any ballots were cast by anyone other than an eligible voter.”
Redus’ answer continues, “While Dawson offers mere speculation that it is possible such could have occurred, speculation as to mere possibilities simply does not suffice to overcome strong presumption in favor of the validity of this election or the results as reported by precinct officials.”
Both sides presented their cases during a 1:30 p.m. hearing July 9 before Judge Hesse in Canadian County District Court.
“The judge decided there wasn’t enough to throw out the election and that it would be upheld,” Armold said.
