Creek County sheriff challenges votes cast in election

(Sapulpa-AP) -- Creek County Sheriff Larry Fugate is challenging the results of last week's election citing voting irregularities at two of the county's 40 precincts.

Fugate lost his re-election bid by 14 votes. The sheriff has requested a recount of the ballots which is set for Thursday.

Fugate has filed a petition with the Creek County Election Board alleging that precincts at Bristow and Slick passed sample ballots out to voters after running out of official ballots.

The petition also claims that some voters in the two towns wrote cast their votes on blank pieces of paper.

Fugate says he has reason to believe votes cast on sample ballot forms and blank pieces of paper weren't counted in the official total.

Steve Toliver says he doesn't blame Fugate for making the challenge. But Toliver says he still thinks he won the election.