Judge races, questions draw fewer votes

Erin Neff

Tuesday, Oct. 22, 2002 | 11:20 a.m.

Impulse shoppers are courted into mall stores with slick window displays and signs hawking sales.

But Galleria at Sunset shopper Michael Cooper became an impulse voter Monday, spending 12 minutes sorting through the largest ballot in Clark County history without the aid of a sample ballot.

"I skipped a lot cause I'm new here," Cooper said. "A lot of people, like the judges, I have no idea who some of them are."

Elections officials and political consultants say that even the most prepared voter struggles with down-ticket races, skipping them and resulting in even lower turnout for judge and ballot question races.

"There is a hierarchy in the decision making," political consultant Gary Gray said. "Nobody's really thought much about the judges or some of the other races, and yes, there's a drop-off."

Gray said roughly 65 percent of voters actually participate in judicial races. That means one-third of those who do vote skip the judge races.

Clark County Registrar Larry Lomax said that while his office hasn't done any statistical analysis of voter drop-off, he acknowledges the statement of the vote after elections does show fewer people voting in the down-ballot races.

The current ballot ranges from 59 to 66 races or questions for voters, depending upon which precinct the voter is in. The ballot has 29 judicial races, nine state questions, five Clark County questions and additional questions for residents in Henderson, Moapa Valley and Mesquite.

Joan Kerschner, director of Henderson District Public Libraries, said she thinks the size of the ballot is the biggest obstacle to the Henderson library tax question.

"I am worried about that," Kerschner said. "It's a daunting ballot. I'm worried that by the time they get to the end, even if they get through the ballot, they might not give us the full attention.

"It's hard for any of us to concentrate that long."

Bill Pendarvis, supervisor at the Galleria early voting site, said the average voter is spending eight to 10 minutes at the polls.

"We have noticed as long as 20 or 30 minutes," he said.

Barbara Schneider of Henderson had no trouble with the ballot, heeding election officials' warnings to be prepared.

"I filled the sample ballot out at home," Schneider said. "You almost feel like you're in school reading all the information about the questions. But if you do the studying, you do fine."

Some opt to vote absentee due to the size of the ballot and what could be long lines on Election Day.

The AFL-CIO of Nevada has sent mail to union households with a dog on the cover and the words: "Sit, stay." Inside is an application for an absentee ballot.

The Clark County Election Department is accepting requests for absentee ballots. The department must have the request in hand by 5 p.m. Oct. 29, and voters must turn in absentee ballots by 7 p.m. on Nov. 5.

Whether voters are opting to participate absentee or early, Gray said the two district court judge candidates he is consulting for, Jackie Glass and David Wall, have to employ a different strategy.

"If someone is there to vote for a judicial candidate, they're going to vote for all judicial candidates," Gray said.

In other words, judicial candidates have to give a voter a reason to remember them. And, consultants say, others familiar with the candidates need to tell voters about the person to grant "permission" for voters.

After the two Supreme Court races and 21 district court races, voters then have six family court races to consider.

Jennifer Elliott, a candidate for Family Court Department L, said she has been told that one hang-up voters have with judicial candidates is a fear of putting someone on the bench that they know little about.

Judicial races are non-partisan and since judges can't speak about the same things other candidates do -- per judicial canons -- voters are often in the dark. Couple that with the spot on the ballot and many voters skip it.

"I try to give them reasons not to fear voting in this race," Elliott said. "Part of the strategy is to get someone else to tell the voters they have 'permission' to take part in the race."

Elliott's opponent, Fernando Guzman, agreed that it's hard being near the bottom of what he terms a "horrendous ballot."

"I almost wish the ones with no opponents get left off the ballot," Guzman said.

Fifteen of the 29 judicial races have only one candidate on the ballot. State Sen. Terry Care is running unopposed, as are Assembly members Chris Giunchigliani, Genie Ohrenschall and Richard Perkins.

Lomax said the biggest complaint he's gotten this election is about the unopposed candidates taking up ballot space.

"It costs a lot of money to print each page of the ballot," Lomax said. "I'd love to see them get rid of unopposed candidates. It's something we'll be exploring after the election."