Sawyer sues Dalton over election issues

The Donley County Precinct 4 Commissioners’ race in the Republican Primary is headed to court, but both sides say a new election is in order.

Incumbent Commissioner Dan Sawyer lost his primary bid to challenger Brad Dalton, 55-54, in the March 1 election, and those numbers were confirmed by party officials last Thursday.

The election was under a cloud, however, due to multiple reports of people in Donley County voting in the wrong precincts because of issues with how new precinct lines were entered into the voting system and voter registration issues that stemmed from those errors.

Following the only legal course available to him, Sawyer filed suit against Dalton in district court last week seeking an order for a new election.

This week, Dalton answered Sawyer’s filing by agreeing that there were errors in the election and also asked the court to order a new election.

“After reviewing evidence attached to the election contest and after talking to some people who wanted to vote in the Donley County Precinct 4 Commissioners race but weren’t allowed to, I think it is only fair that we have a new election,” Dalton said. “Everyone that wants to vote in this country of ours should be able to vote in the right precinct and for the person of their choice, even if they don’t vote for me. All elections should be fair and equal in the eyes of the people and the law.”

Dalton further stated that he looks forward to “campaigning hard and winning the Republican Primary by more than one vote this time.”

Deputy District Clerk Laverne Pinion said Tuesday that since District Judge Stuart Messer had to recuse himself from the case as the local judge, Judge Ana Estevez of Amarillo will decide the case, which is expected this week.

Dalton and County GOP Chair Bill Word both said they expect the new election to be held along with the Republican Run-off election on May 24, which will also feature another local race, that of the Justice of the Peace in Precincts 1&2.

Sarah Hatley had the most votes in the JP election with three other names on the ballot, but the same issues of voters casting ballots in the wrong precinct also plagued that race.

Following the election, Connie Lane was second place in that vote and will face Hatley in the run-off. The third-place candidate, Kristen Taylor, could sue as Sawyer did but has not done so as of Tuesday morning, Pinion said.