Candidates can file petitions for judgeship

Friday, May 22, 1998 | 10:49 a.m.

Chairez resigned Monday as district judge so he could file his candidacy for Congress. A state law requires judges to quit if they run for a partisan office.

As a judge, Chairez served in a nonpartisan office, but he is running as a Republican for Nevada's House District 1 seat.

Secretary of State Dean Heller said people interested in running this November for the four years remaining on Chairez' judicial term must file petitions.

The petitions must be signed by at least 1 percent of the people who voted in the election won by Chairez in 1996. Because 167,364 people voted in that election, candidates need petitions signed by a minimum of 1,674 people.

Unlike other elections, Heller said the petitions for candidates seeking the judgeship will not be verified. Only a raw count will be done to determine if the 1 percent requirement is met.

Heller said the special petition process to replace Chairez is necessary because the judge waited until the last moment to declare his candidacy for Congress.

Besides the special election to fill the last four years of Chairez' term, the Commission on Judicial Selection will request candidates to fill the remaining months of Chairez' term this year.

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