Henderson to choose new mayor, council member

Steve Marcus

Steady at the helm: Henderson Mayor James Gibson delivers the State of the City address at Green Valley Ranch on Feb. 5.

By Jeremy Twitchell (contact)

Thursday, March 19, 2009 | 1 a.m.

When Henderson voters begin heading to the polls March 21 for early voting, they'll see something the city hasn't seen since 1993 — a list of mayoral candidates that doesn't include James B. Gibson.

Gibson won the office in the 1997 municipal primary, then ran unopposed in 2001 and captured 80 percent of the vote in 2005. Nevada's term limits law, however, bars him from seeking a fourth term.

The law creates a similar vacancy in Ward III, where Councilman Jack Clark is unable to seek re-election after four terms in office.

The race to succeed the two men, however, has drawn no shortage of familiar faces. Current and former city council members, community activists, a former police chief and the head of the Henderson Parks and Recreation Board are just a few of those running, along with a handful of fresh faces.

Seeking to succeed Gibson as mayor are City Council members Andy Hafen and Steve Kirk, former City Councilwoman Amanda Cyphers, former Henderson Police Chief Michael Mayberry and attorney Richard Sipan.

The race to represent Ward III includes Kathleen Boutin, who founded the Nevada Partnership for Homeless Youth; Bruce Cutler, a retired insurance salesman and member of the Whitney Ranch Homeowners Association Board of Directors; Cathy Rosenfield, the volunteer chairwoman of the Henderson Parks and Recreation Board; Jason Frayer, a telecommunications consultant and professor at the College of Southern Nevada; Brandon Casutt, a sign company owner; and Jim Dunn, a real estate company owner.

In the city's other race, for Municipal Court Judge, incumbent judge Douglas Hedger drew one challenger, police sergeant Matthew Zobrist.

Early voting for the primary election begins March 21 and continues through April 3 at two permanent sites: Henderson City Hall, 240 S. Water St., and the Galleria at Sunset mall, 1300 W. Sunset Road. Several temporary sites also will be available during early voting. A complete list is available on the city's Web site at www.cityofhenderson.com/city_clerk.

The primary election will be April 7 at City Hall and 14 other sites around Henderson; a complete listing is available on the city clerk's Web page.

If a candidate in a given race captures more than 50 percent of the vote in the primary, he or she will win the office. If no candidate captures more than 50 percent, the top two candidates will proceed to the June 2 general election, which will have early voting May 16-29.

Jeremy Twitchell can be reached at 990-8928 or jeremy.twitchell@lasvegassun.com.