The Alabama Supreme Court reversed a Conecuh County Circuit Court decision upholding Sheriff Randy Brock’s win in the 2022 sheriff’s race.
His challenger, Republican Mike Blackmon, has been appealing the election results in court. After the lower court dismissed the contest, Blackmon's attorneys took the case to the Alabama Supreme Court.
In a brief, Blackmon's team presented evidence they say proves some votes were cast illegally.
The team challenged two ballots that the voting machine did not count, but that the canvassing board approved during a recount. The voters had circled the Democratic party symbols instead of coloring in the ovals on the ballots. Blackmon argued those ballots should not have been counted. The court agreed.
"If those voters did intend to cast such a vote, it is unfortunate that their ballots must be excluded, but that unfortunate result is the consequence of their own choices not to follow the instructions printed at the top of their ballots -- instructions that they clearly followed on other parts of the ballot," the opinion stated. "Thus, if those voters' voices have now been 'mut[ed]' by the exclusion of their ballots, it is they who have muted them, not this Court."
The Supreme Court’s decision on Friday ruled the results of the race were a tie, with each candidate receiving 2,226 votes.
“Today’s Supreme Court ruling vindicates Mike Blackmon’s and the Alabama Republican Party’s long, hard-fought fight for election integrity in this race,” said attorney Bryan Taylor. “We appreciate the Supreme Court’s careful review of the ballots in this case. The resulting tie vote means the Democratic candidate was not elected, and there is a vacancy in the office of Conecuh County Sheriff to be filled by appointment of the Governor.”
The Court remanded the case for further proceedings in Conecuh County Circuit Court.
Democrat Sheriff Randy Brock is seeking re-election.
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