Mayoral hopeful seeks official response to sign issue

Mayoral candidate Steve McClung filed a complaint Friday with Carson City's chief elections officer, seeking clarification as to whether fellow challengers Sean Lehmann and Jim Shirk are violating state law with their campaign signs.

In turn, Alan Glover said he would be forwarding the complaint to the Nevada Secretary of State for clarification on what constitutes proper signage for those seeking the office.

"We want to get this issue cleared up as soon as possible," Glover, the chief elections officer, said.

Glover on Thursday said he believed Lehmann and Shirk were violating state law and creating an impression that both are incumbents.

McClung said he wrote the complaint in part to ensure that he wasn't violating any laws, either.

"If others are in violation, they need to correct their signs or remove them," he said. "The way that (Shirk and Lehmann's) signs read, it does look like they're mayors already.

"I want someone in charge to say what is and what isn't acceptable," he said.

Lehmann, Shirk and McClung are seeking the seat being vacated by Mayor Marv Teixeira. The other mayoral candidates are Ken Haskins, Pete Hansell and Bob Crowell.

The election is Aug. 12.

Lehmann's signs read "Lehmann Mayor" and ask people to "vote August 12." Shirk's signs read "Mayor Jim Shirk" with a tagline, "You Win With Jim."

Glover said he would like an explanation in part because the secretary of state's own election handbook states that the words "elect" and "for" to delineate the fact that someone is not an incumbent. Nevada Revised Statutes section 294a.340 notes that those terms create "the implication of nonincumbency in office."

Matt Griffin, elections deputy with the secretary of state's office, said it will take at least a few days to research the law.

His office hadn't received the complaint late Friday, though this particular issue has come up before.

Generally, he said, the words "for" or "elect" remove any doubt of a person's incumbency, but he said each sign would be dealt with on its individual merits.

Lehmann said Friday he believes that his sign is legal, and that he has been told by Glover that he has a case to make for the legality of his signs.

Shirk said Friday he removed all of his campaign signs from public display after reading news accounts Thursday.

"If there is something wrong, I have every intention of fixing the problem," he said. He said he would keep his signs down until he receives clarification on what is and isn't allowed, and plans to visit Glover's office on Monday to get clarification of the law.

"I'm just trying to be a good citizen, and trying to learn the process," Shirk said.

For his part, McClung said Friday he was retooling his signs to reflect his status as a challenger.

Early voting for the 2008 Primary Election in Carson City

When:

• Saturday, July 26, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.;

• Monday - Friday, July 28- Aug. 1, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.

• Saturday, Aug. 2, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

• Monday-Friday, Aug. 4 -8, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Where:

County Clerks Office

Voter Registration, Elections

885 East Musser St.

First Floor, Courthouse

Information:

The last day to register in person at the Carson City Clerk-recorder's office is July 22. All other voter applications must be postmarked by today. Call the Voter Registration Office at 887-2087 or visit at: www.carson-city.nv.us/clerk/elections

The Primary Election will be held on Tuesday, Aug. 12. To vote on Election Day you must go to your Polling Place indicated in your Sample Ballot.

Source: CarsonCity Clerk-recorder