WAGONER COUNTY, Okla. — After a recount was requested for the Wagoner County Sheriff’s race, the election board announced on Thursday that Sheriff Chris Elliott did in fact win the election by just 35 votes.

Ballots were tediously hand-counted to make sure the election results were accurate.

As Elliott wins his third term, he said that although this recount was a long process, he has no hard feelings and he appreciates the election process.

“I’m very proud and honored to live in a country where the citizens have the ability to go through with this process and get to contest an election and not be oppressed by a government to keep them from doing that,” Elliott said.

In a razor close election, ballots were recounted by hand to make certain that last week’s primary runoff results were accurate.

“What I’m most impressed with is the security of the Oklahoma elections. This was an election that was contested on a recount and our machines and the way we do things in the state of Oklahoma reflects that we do it very well here. I think Oklahoma should be a beacon for other states in the nation to look at how we do things. Over 8,000 votes were cast and not one error,” Elliott said.

Elliott has been in office since 2016. He said his greatest accomplishments as sheriff have been a decrease in crime, 20-year law enforcement pensions for his deputies and the sheriff’s department receiving funding from the state.

“These are unprecedented things that have never happened to the county sheriff. I’ve been a part of that. Me and my fellow county sheriffs, working hard with our legislatures and it’s just a great thing,” Elliott said.

Elliott said he plans to build off of the momentum of a job well done after receiving a perfect jail inspection this year.

There are still things he’d like to work on such as the continued education of law enforcement personnel and detention officers.

“Keep training going into the jail, keep training going into the deputies. So we have people looking at us and saying ‘Let’s see how Wagoner County is running their county sheriff’s office and let’s try to mimic what they’re doing there,” Elliott said.

Elliott said that recounts are not common, especially in Wagoner County, but he appreciates everyone’s hard work and is ready for four more years.