Editorial: Political gamesmanship

Tuesday, June 29, 2004 | 8:30 a.m.

Two District Court judges, acting in separate cases, have thrown two legislative candidates off the primary ballot. We support the judges' actions, as both of the candidates were obviously in violation of Nevada's residency law. We appreciate that the judges saw through their flimsy excuses and took the appropriate action.

On Thursday, Democratic candidate Todd Allen was removed from the Senate District 11 ballot by Judge Nancy Saitta. Allen, who actually lives out of the district in Summerlin, rented an apartment in April within District 11. Power to the apartment, however, was never turned on until May 14, the deadline for filing for office. Nevertheless, Allen claimed he'd been living there, apart from his family and with no power, since early April.

And on Friday, District Judge Valerie Vega removed Republican candidate Anne DiMartini from the primary ballot for the District 29 Assembly seat. She had bought a house within the district, but did not close escrow until May 13. She argued, however, that she had been moving into the house since April 5.

But state law is clear: A candidate must actually live within the district he wants to represent for a full 30 days before the filing deadline. Every election, it seems, has a few candidates who push the residency envelope. In our view, the Legislature should lengthen the residency requirement to six months. That would stop most of this gamesmanship. Until then, we hope judges continue to rule on the side of actual district residents.