10 Clark, Washoe counties certify 2022 election results
Nevada’s two largest counties voted on Friday to certify the results of the midterm elections, with some people questioning the voting process.
After an hour-long special meeting, Clark County commissioners voted unanimously to approve the results of the election and send them to the secretary of state. Friday was the deadline for counties to canvass their results, which will be officially certified by the Nevada Supreme Court on Tuesday.
Clark County Registrar of Voters Joe Gloria, who previously announced his retirement, said that roughly 52 percent of the county’s 1.3 million registered voters cast ballots.
About 30 percent voted at early-voting sites, and about 21 percent on Election Day. Nearly 50 percent voted by mail.
“Our county is highly recognized by fellow election officials who understand the challenges of providing voting services in a large jurisdiction like Clark County in a highly partisan environment,” said Gloria, who presented a report.
About 20 of the dozens who showed up to Friday’s meeting spoke during public comment, with about half praising Gloria and the county, and the other half suggesting the election was illegitimate.
Far-right activist Mindy Robinson — who came in third in a Republican primary for the 3rd Congressional District in 2020 and a distant third in the general election for Assembly District 35 this year while running as a Libertarian — called the election a “catastrophe” and the county’s election department a “laughingstock.”
She chastised elected officials, including Republican Gov.-elect Joe Lombardo.
Meanwhile, Washoe County Commissioners voted 4-1 to certify the results, with Commissioner Jeanne Herman as the only no vote.
Commissioners heard more than two hours of public comment from over 40 people, most of whom identified themselves as residents. Comments were almost evenly split between those who spoke in support of the election process and those who urged commissioners not to certify the vote.
Of those against certifying the results, many raised concerns over the state’s ballot tracking system and the security of mail-in ballots. Some asked for a hand-counted audit of the current ballots while others called for a new election entirely.
Officials have previously said that ballot tracking websites and software have not been updated to reflect that ballots received by elections offices have been counted. Those updates should be made sometime after the official canvass.
Before and after public comment, Washoe County District Attorney Mary Kandaras made clear to the commissioners and the audience that their role in certifying the results was administrative.
“This is a ministerial and nondiscretionary process,” she said. “There is no legal authority for you not to canvass today. There are statutory mechanism to challenge the election and these do not involve the county commission or the canvass.”
But that didn’t stop Herman from voting against the certification, who said she was “concerned” about the election but did not provide further details.
A small group of protesters had gathered outside of the registrar’s office prior to the meeting but had dissipated by its start.
The county saw a total turnout of 194,754 voters, or about 63 percent. According to the secretary of state, 53 percent of ballots cast through the mail, while 27 percent were cast in early voting and 20 percent were cast on Election Day.
Contact Ricardo Torres-Cortez at rtorres@reviewjournal.com. Follow him on Twitter @rickytwrites. Contact Taylor R. Avery at TAvery@reviewjournal.com. Follow @travery98 on Twitter.