Conecuh County Sheriff Randy Brock will remain the sheriff after a judge dismissed the case of challenger Mike Blackmon.
Retired Mobile County Circuit Judge Braxton Kittrell declared Brock the winner of the contested 2022 race, stating the canvassing board's certification has been accepted.
A bench trial was held earlier this month, and Blackmon's team presented evidence of possible illegal absentee ballots.
During the trial, Brock's team did not call witnesses but asked for a full recount of all precincts after Blackmon's team challenged one precinct and held an in-court recount.
A witness called to the stand testified that her ballot for Brock was filled out by another person. Video evidence showed another witness telling a private investigator he fills out ballots for his mother and sister and then gives them to another woman.
Blackmon attorney Bryan Taylor said the judge has yet to examine some of the ballots in question.
"Today's order is grossly premature," Taylor said. "The court has not yet even examined the ballots at issue. The integrity of this election depends on the court's exercising fair, impartial, and independent judgment, not just rubber stamping the decision of the all-Democrat canvassing board."
Taylor said his team is exploring every possible avenue of relief, including an appeal.
"This order simply takes the canvassing board's word for it, without pulling back the curtain," he added. "It appears to disregard uncontroverted evidence of ballot harvesting, and it seems to absolve the canvassing board's failure to adhere to codified legal standards for determining voter intent from improperly marked ballots."
Brock's team has not responded to a media inquiry.
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