Tactics at voting site scrutinized

Steve Sebelius

Wednesday, Oct. 30, 1996 | 11:59 a.m.

Las Vegas officials are investigating the possible misuse of city equipment at an early-voting site where voters allegedly were handed a hand-marked slate card and offered food for casting ballots, a violation of state law.

At a news conference Tuesday, Mayor Jan Laverty Jones said the city has received telephone calls from voters and candidates complaining about the practices, which allegedly took place during early voting Saturday at Nucleus Plaza, 926 W. Owens Ave.

Voters were handed a copy of a sample ballot with check marks next to Democratic candidates such as President Clinton, congressional candidate Bob Coffin, state Senate candidate Valerie Wiener and County Commissioner Yvonne Atkinson Gates, who is running for re-election.

Ballot questions were also checked, with the exception of bonds for the Clark County School District and Metro Police. The city's tax-equity-and-consolidation Question 20 was marked for a "no" vote.

Voters could redeem this hand-marked ballot or an actual ballot stub for free food at the event, Jones said, adding that the practices "violate the spirit of democracy."

"I have a problem any time marked ballots are handed out," the mayor said. "I am deeply troubled by the allegation that city equipment was used, making it appear that this was a city-sponsored event."

A "ceremony checklist" form on file in the Parks and Leisure Services Department shows that city neighborhood services employee Mike Chambliss checked out two barbecue grills, cooking supplies and the city's "Showmobile" mobile stage for the event. The parks department maintains the equipment for use at civic functions or for paid rentals to private groups.

Although the Showmobile technician worked a full eight hours, and workers who dropped the grills off Saturday morning and picked them up Saturday night earned a total of two hours of overtime, Chambliss was not billed for the costs because he works for another city department, according to parks Director Dave Kuiper.

Kuiper said political groups are normally charged a standard rate of about $800 per day for use of the Showmobile, but other city departments are not charged for its use.

Chambliss did not return telephone calls seeking comment. He is listed on Gates' campaign spending report as a worker on the commissioner's re-election effort. Gates was out of the state and could not be reached for comment.

City officials said they did not know who actually circulated the marked ballots or handed out the food, and they declined to speculate on whether government employees or officials were involved. Early voting took place at Nucleus Plaza on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

City Attorney Brad Jerbic said at the news conference the city would conduct an internal investigation related to the possible misuse of city equipment, and would also refer the matter to other "authorities," whom he declined to name, to investigate other possible violations.

Chief Deputy Secretary of State Dale Erquiaga said offering food in exchange for a vote amounts to "bribery of an elector," which is illegal under state and federal laws. Violations of Nevada statutes on the topic are considered felonies, he said.

Erquiaga said a Washoe County business recently inquired about feeding voters deli sandwiches in exchange for their participation in elections, but was told by his office that they could not do so.