NLV mayor: Ward 4 election challenge has cost city $100,000-plus

By Aida Ahmed

Published Friday, July 29, 2011 | 3:25 p.m.

Updated Friday, July 29, 2011 | 4:17 p.m.

North Las Vegas Major Shari Buck is not happy with the ongoing legal battle for the Ward 4 Council seat occupied by Wade Wagner.

She expressed her disappointment in how the election was handled by former councilman Richard Cherchio in a statement Friday.

“It is unfortunate that Richard Cherchio and his team have chosen to pursue phantoms and unresolved emotions by searching for nonexistent 'problematic' votes as they prepare to mount a feckless legal challenge. These actions have cost the taxpayers of North Las Vegas over $100,000 so far, which could have been used to mitigate layoffs. That cost continues to rise.”

Financially, the city is in a bind. It still has a $6.1 million gap in its 2012 budget and may have to lay off 35 to 40 non-public safety employees to save about $4.1 million.

Cherchio filed a contest of election Wednesday claiming that the one vote win in Ward 4 of the June 7 election is too small of a margin and at least two other voters were permitted to cast invalid ballots. His attorney, Bradley Schrager, said that the recount certified the votes but that it did not look for errors made by election workers.

The complaint comes after several lawsuits against the city, including one where Wagner sued the city for attempting to hold a special election and refusing to canvass the votes of the general election.

Councilman Wagner said that although he has not seen the newest complaint he believes he will be unaffected.

“I have not received the complaint,” said Wagner. “It appears to be the same old thing again.”

Allegations also surfaced last week that Wagner has 10 registered voters living in his North Las Vegas home.

Wagner claims that he has a “blended family” and does not want to comment on the specifics of his family life. He did say that although some of his children are away at college or on missions, all list his home as their permanent residence.

The North Las Vegas City Council canvassed the recount for the Ward 4 general election at a special meeting Thursday afternoon. For a fee of $600, former Councilman Richard Cherchio requested a recount in Precincts 2440, 2500 and 4304 on July 22.

The canvass certified that the original results of the election between Cherchio and current Councilman Wade Wagner are indeed correct. Wagner received 1,831 votes and Cherchio 1,830 in the election that one invalid ballot was cast in Precinct 4306.