Local candidate for state auditor posts statement regarding disqualification

Ray Bryan

A local candidate for state auditor who was disqualified this month by the state republican committee from being on the ballot, issued a message to his supporters Wednesday via facebook.   In the statement, Anniston Attorney Ray Bryan said he was truly sorry to advise all of his supporters and friends that the Republican Party has voted to deny him access to be listed on the ballot in the June Primary for State Auditor. Bryan said his opponent’s supporters were able to obtain the votes in a steering committee meeting to keep him off the ballot due to not having timely filed a form to the ethics commission. Bryan said the form was filed when he qualified to run for election but was not strictly within the rule’s timelines. Bryan said he was informed this rule has never been used until now to keep a candidate off the ballot in the Republican Party. Bryan ran on a message to eliminate the State Auditor’s office and consolidate it under the Examiners of Public Accounts. Currently HB350 in the House of Representatives is pending that would consolidate the Examiners of Public Accounts with the State Auditor’s office. If passed, it will change what has been in place since 1947 and make the State Auditor’s office one of the most powerful in state government. The State Auditor will take on the duties of the Chief Examiner; employees in the office will dramatically rise from nine (9) to 176 employees with a budget of almost $8 million dollars. This marks the second time that republican party officials have disqualified Bryan over filing issues.  Bryan had been removed as the parties candidate in a judges race in the county after having won the republican primary with the party appointing an Anniston attorney to replace him on the ballot.