St. Louis Sheriff Vernon Betts is not giving up his badge and gun so easily.
Betts, who lost the Democratic primary election earlier this month to challenger Alfred Montgomery, filed a lawsuit this morning in Circuit Court asking for a recount. This was the final day that Betts could file such a lawsuit, which has to be filed within five days from the date of election’s certification. That happened Monday.
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According to the suit, state law allows that anyone who loses an election by less than one percentage point “shall have the right to a recount of the votes cast for the office.” Betts lost by by 256 votes, just a little more than half a percent.
Betts, first elected in 2016, has been a colorful and at times controversial character in St. Louis politics. He has drawn multiple lawsuits from current and former deputies. He has been accused of forcing deputies to campaign for him. He has also been the target of public complaints from employees, including one who said he was fired for his use of the gay dating app Grindr and another who said Betts retaliated against him after he sat for a deposition in a separate employee’s discrimination lawsuit.
Upon Betts appearing to be on his way out earlier this month, Pulitzer Prize-winning columnist Tony Messenger wrote on X, “Am I the only person who is going to miss Vernon Betts’ non sequitur soliloquies from the courthouse steps when he has absolutely nothing to do with why a press gaggle has gathered?”
Neither Betts nor Montgomery could be immediately reached for comment. We will update the story if we hear back.
Montgomery, a former deputy, was victorious over Betts after losing to him (also in the Democratic primary) four years ago. Montgomery is named in the lawsuit as the contestee, with Betts as the contestant. The St. Louis Board of Elections is not named as a defendant.
