Judge Says Stiles-Roberts House Race Decision Due Tuesday

Cleveland County District Judge Tracy Schumacher on Friday postponed a ruling in a lawsuit challenging the results of an Oklahoma House race where the incumbent, Rep. Aaron Stiles, won by just 16 votes.

She gave both sides until Tuesday morning to file any additional trial briefs and indicated she would rule by the end of that day.

Friday was the second day of testimony following Democrat Paula Roberts’ petition alleging that 10 different irregularities make it “impossible to determine with mathematical certainty which candidate is entitled to a certificate of election.”

Among Roberts’ allegations are that ineligible voters were allowed to cast ballots while some valid registered voters were not. Roberts also alleges that absentee ballots were improperly secured and that mistakes were made with provisional ballots and voting machines, among other complaints.

Roberts’ attorney wants the court to count the provisional ballots that she claims were improperly excluded. But Schumacher has said state law does not give her the authority to order the ballots counted.

Election Board officials have acknowledged the office made mistakes during the general election. A box containing 60 absentee ballots was discovered two days after the election, but the House race’s original 18-vote margin remained unchanged after those ballots were counted. A recount showed Stiles had won by 16 votes.


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