TULSA, Okla. — Tulsa City Council District 5 candidate Mykey Arthrell has filed to contest this week’s election results, just hours before the deadline.
Arthrell lost the election by less than 30 votes. However, 31 voters at one east Tulsa precinct weren’t given a city ballot.
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This means they were not able to vote for their District 5 City Councilor.
Arthrell said he decided to contest the results after much consideration.
“When you look at cases like this, where potentially we’re looking at a margin of a vote or two that could have made the difference,” said Arthrell. “It needs to be driven home for all the people at home that your vote matters, your voice matters, and you need to participate in theses elections, because they can all hinge on a vote or two.”
A hearing will be scheduled, where a judge will decide if there should be a new election.
Arthrell’s opponent Grant Miller called a press conference Friday at 4 p.m. to talk about the election and recount.
“I’m the one who actually uncovered the issue going [on],” Miller said Friday. “Had I not gone down there and asked them what was happening, they would’ve continued not handing out … ballots. And what would have been a shame.”
Miller and his attorney, Ronald Durbin II, filed for a recount Friday. They said they don’t believe officials are correct when saying 31 ballots were not handed out. They think the “real number” will come out soon.
He also said he thinks the “real number” won’t affect the election results.
“Before you go throwing daggers and court action at somebody, you file for a recount to find out where you really are,” Durbin said. “At the end of the day, we can establish how many votes are missing and if that would have impacted the election one way or the other.”
Miller and his attorney said they plan to file a motion to dismiss Arthell’s filing.
This is a developing story.