Republican candidates comment on irregularities in sheriff’s race

Republican candidates for Comanche County sheriff said Friday they didn’t know many of the details associated with allegations of irregularities in their runoff election.

Michael Merritt and Andy Moon also said neither had been briefed on any details about actions that prompted the Comanche County Election Board to suspend certification of the election results on Friday after Comanche County District Attorney Kyle Cabelka filed a petition alleging irregularities.

Merritt, the apparent winner in Tuesday’s runoff, said he knows area legislators filed a request with the State Election Board seeking an audit and that state officials were at the Comanche County Election Board late last week looking at records.

“I was not made aware of it. Nobody has contacted me,” he said, adding while his consultant may have been told, he has received no official word.

Merritt said while he understands the audit must take place to look at issues pointed out, he doesn’t worry about the results.

“I don’t think six ballots (a number now amended to eight) out of whatever was cast will affect the outcome of the race,” he said of the 628-vote margin that gave him the Republican nomination under unofficial results.

Moon said he agrees the review was necessary, adding he hopes a transparent investigation can take place.

“I think the voters need to have trust in the election process and the system in place, and they are safeguarded and (have) measures to ensure good accountability for every vote taking place,” he said. “It needs to be very transparent. People already don’t trust our voting system.”

Moon said because this directly affects all the citizens of Comanche County, the investigation needs to be done and it must be transparent. And he believes every candidate for the office would want the same thing done. Moon said he also expects the process “will end up in a courtroom.”