Wagoner County Sheriff Candidates Make Last Push In Runoff Election

There is a runoff race on the ballot for Wagoner County Sheriff on Tuesday.

Current sheriff Chris Elliott is running for a third term, and his challenger, Tyler Cooper, previously worked under Elliott as a Wagoner County deputy.

Both candidates and their supporters spent Tuesday day braving the heat and making a last push to voters by standing less than a mile apart from each other and waving to passing cars.

Current sheriff Chris Elliott has been in office since 2016. Elliott says the sheriff’s office has improved during his tenure.

He says his accomplishments include adding a 20-year law enforcement pension that keeps the sheriff’s office competitive with other departments.

Elliott says he has also been proactive in getting state grant money to support the sheriff’s office and expects to receive roughly $300,000 in the next few months.

The sheriff says he and his supporters have put a lot of work into this campaign.

“We have got people at every major precinct in the county,” he said. “These are all volunteers that have volunteered their time to campaign and show their support not only for the Wagoner County Sheriff’s Office but for me as the county sheriff.”

Elliott’s challenger is former Wagoner County detention officer and deputy Tyler Cooper, who is now a lieutenant with GRDA police.

On his campaign website, Cooper says he is running to improve morale and deputy retention rates and create a good work environment.

Cooper says his goal is to also create transparency and to crack down on illegal immigration.

News On 6 gave Tyler Cooper the chance to interview several times to share his thoughts, but he declined every one of those opportunities.