Clerk’s office wraps up vote count this week

Commissioners to canvass results on Monday at 9 a.m.

While other parts of the nation wrestled with election results and scrutiny, Churchill County experienced a smooth voting process during last week’s general election on Nov. 3.

Erin Montalvo of the Churchill County Clerk’s office said both early voting and the general election went smoothly. She said the clerk’s office also registered 370 same-day voters either online or in person. The Nevada Legislature passed a measure during its last session to allow same-day registration. She said those votes will be counted Thursday.

Montalvo said the clerk’s office will then certify the results later in the week, and the Churchill County commissioners will canvass the local results and accept them on Monday morning at 9 a.m. in the commission chambers.

During this week, Montalvo said the clerk’s office will also contact voters because their signatures either didn’t match or they forgot to sign.

“Everyone received a letter (last week), and we’ll email and telephone this week,” she said.

As of Friday, 12,574 voters either mailed in their ballots or attended early or general election voting in person. Of the 15,721 registered voters, Churchill County had a 79.96% rate. The breakdown showed 4,467 either mailed or dropped off their ballots; 6,293 voted during the two weeks of early voting; and 1,764 voted on Nov 3.

Of the three local races, Churchill County voters cast ballots for Churchill County Commission District 3, the school board and County Question 1.

Republican Greg Koenig defeated Democratic candidate Kelli Kelly, 8,753 to 3,419, for the commission seat being vacated Carl Erquiaga, who is termed out. Justin Heath, who won the primary against fellow Republican and incumbent Harry “Bus” Scharmann, received 10,987 votes.

For the nonpartisan school board, incumbent Kathryn Whitaker led four other candidates with 6,223 votes. Retired Churchill County school administrator Gregg Malkovich tallied 6,133 votes, and incumbent Tricia Strasdin rounded out the top three with 6,064 votes.

Lee Tisdale, a retired teacher, had 4,310 votes, and incumbent Phil Pinder, also a retired teacher, finished with 3,999.

County Question 1 easily passed, 7,580 to 4,612. Voters were asked to fund the purchase of major equipment items or repair existing equipment for the Fallon/Churchill Volunteer Fire Department.

In 2008 and 2014, however, the results for the same fire department measure were much tighter.

In the presidential race, Churchill County voters approved the Republican ticket of Donald Trump and Michael Pence with 9,088 votes compared to 2,966 for the Joseph Biden-Kamala Harris Democratic ticket. Incumbent Republican Mark Amodei won re-election for Congressional District 2, defeating Democrat Patricia Ackerman, 9,121 to 2,711. Independent American Party candidate Jeanine Hanen received 463 votes.

Douglas Herndon led in Churchill County for Supreme Court Justice, Seat D, over Ozzie Fumo, 6,739 to 2,246. Court of Appeals Judge, Department 3 had Susan Bush leading Bonnie Bulla, 4,718 to 3,525. Running opposed and approved by voters were Supreme Court Justice, Seat B, Kristina Pickering; District Court Judge, District 10, Thomas Stockard; and Assembly District 38, Robin Titus.

State questions:

No. 1, rejected 8,082 to 3,682

No. 2, rejected 6,758 to 5,355

No. 3, rejected 6,251 to 5,648

No. 4, rejected 6,438 to 5,461

No. 6, rejected 7,764 to 4,229

Ballot question 5 failed to have enough signatures to qualify as a state question.