County voters cast their ballots

Churchill County residents went to the polls on Tuesday although a third of them already cast ballots in early voting.

Voters lined up at the Fallon Convention Center before the doors opened, but once inside, their day of choosing candidates went smoothly.

Erin Montalvo, deputy clerk for the Churchill County Clerk’s/Treasurer’s office, said she was optimistic that as many as 60 percent of the county’s registered voters would vote in the general election.

“I hope to expect 60 percent, but it could be as low as 50 percent,” Montalvo said.

According to Montalvo, 12,240 voters are registered including 6,895 Republicans and 2,651 Democrats. During the two-week early voting, 4,347 or 36 percent of registered voters either voted or sent in 209 absentee ballots.

During early voting, Montalvo said the number of people who voted each day was steady. On Nevada Day, 456 voters took advantage of the state holiday. Except for two days, Montalvo said early voting averaged more than 300 voters for each of the 10 days.

Montalvo said the races that seemed to generate the most interest, from what she heard, were for Churchill County Recorder and Question 3, the Education Initiative.

“There wasn’t much talk about the sheriff’s race, and I don’t know about the statewide races except for Question 3,” she added.

Outside the convention center, Montalvo said two men were seeking signatures on two statewide petitions to regulate and tax marijuana similar to alcohol and to conduct background checks through licensed gun dealers for sales conducted by an unlicensed seller.

“They must be registered voters to sign the petition, but what better place to get registered voters,” Montalvo said.

State law required the petitioners to set up their table and to conduct business at least 100 feet from the convention center.

Charles Kimball, one of the men seeking signatures for both petitions, said each statewide petition needs at least 100,001 signatures before Monday afternoon’s deadline.

Kimball said he’s certain the marijuana petition will get the required number of signatures, but he thinks the background check will be “neck and neck” to qualify.

Kimball said Tuesday was the only day he and his partner would be in Fallon. If anyone wants to sign either one of the petitions or both, Kimball said volunteers will be at all Washoe County libraries and the Department of Motor Vehicles in Reno.