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North Las Vegas councilwoman Anita Wood motions the City Council to call for a new election in one Ward 4 precinct on Wednesday, June 15, 2011. The Clark County elections department found one invalid vote was cast in the race separated by one vote between dentist Wade Wagner and incumbent Richard Cherchio.
By Paul Takahashi (contact) 
Published Wednesday, June 15, 2011 | 9:31 p.m.
Updated Wednesday, June 15, 2011 | 10:14 p.m.
New election
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KSNV coverage of North Las Vegas decision to hold new election in City Council race decided by a single vote, June 15, 2011.
Wade Wagner addresses the media on Wednesday, June 15, 2011, after the North Las Vegas City Council called for a new election in one precinct in Ward 4. The Clark County elections department found one invalid vote was cast in the race separated by one vote between dentist Wagner and incumbent Richard Cherchio.
North Las Vegas councilman Richard Cherchio addresses the media on Wednesday, June 15, 2011, after the North Las Vegas City Council called for a new election in one precinct in Ward 4. The Clark County elections department found one invalid vote was cast in the race separated by one vote between incumbent Cherchio and dentist Wade Wagner.
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The North Las Vegas City Council unanimously voted to call for a new election in a fiercely contested race for the Ward 4 seat that was decided by a single vote. After the June 7 general election, it was discovered that one invalid vote was cast.
The council vote for a new election in one precinct between Wade Wagner and incumbent Richard Cherchio was 3-0, with Mayor Shari Buck and Cherchio abstaining. Wagner won the initial election, 1,831 to 1,830 votes.
No date has been set for the new election for voters in Precinct 4306.
“As a councilperson, I’m elected to make decisions on behalf of my constituents and I get to vote on all sorts of things from land issues to financial,” Councilwoman Anita Wood said. “The voter decides who gets to sit here. I don’t get to usurp that decision. It has to be made by the voters.”
Buck recused herself from the vote because a relative was a paid campaign worker for Wagner.
Wood and Councilman Robert Eliason said that while they both gave campaign contributions to and supported Cherchio, it would not affect their vote.
Wagner, a dentist, eked out the win over Cherchio in the June 7 general election by two one-hundredths of a percent. Only 72 votes separated the candidates in the April primary, which Wagner also won.
On June 12, the Clark County Elections Department discovered that one voter cast his ballot in the wrong ward and a poll worker missed the error. The voter had recently moved into Ward 4, but did not update his voter registration, said Larry Lomax, Clark County registrar of voters.
The city retained attorney Matt Griffin to help council members decide whether to canvass the election and allow dissatisfied candidates to contest the vote or request a recount, or call a new election in the precinct in question.
Whatever decision the council made, “it’s not a long shot that a lawsuit will follow,” Griffin said.
Cherchio’s attorney Bradley Schrager urged council members during public comments to order a new election in Precinct 4306. A total of 48 votes were cast in the precinct in the Ward 4 race.
“You need to be able to attest that the votes you have are the true votes cast. I’m sorry to say that that can’t be asserted,” he said. “You are the guardians of the vote, the protectors of the integrity of the election process.”
Wagner’s attorney Todd Bice urged the City Council during public comments to certify the election results and allow for a recount process instead of paying for another election in one precinct. Calling for a new election would disenfranchise all the Ward 4 voters who voted on June 7 because it will allow voters in one precinct to determine the outcome, he said.
“I don’t have to comment on the budget crisis the city faces,” he said. “We’re going to somehow wipe out the election (results) and order an entire new one and incur all that expense on the taxpayers’ backs? We don’t know whether that one purported illegal vote amounted to anything, if the voter even voted for this contest.”
Wagner, who addressed the media after the council vote, said he was disappointed with the decision but not surprised.
He said he did not fault the poll worker for allowing one invalid vote to be cast that brought about the new election.
“Mistakes are made. We all make mistakes,” Wagner said. “The process works. We’re just going to move forward and hopefully it will work in our favor.”
Cherchio said he was happy with the council’s decision and looks forward to the new election.
“It brings to light how important one vote is,” he said. “It shows people how important it is to get out and speak their mind.”
The City Council will meet next week to discuss when to hold the new election. Voters will have at least three weeks to fill out absentee ballots. Cherchio's term on the council expires July 1.
First, congratulations to the North Las Vegas City Council for actually doing the right thing. The NRS was clear on this one.
Second, "Buck recused herself because a relative was a paid campaign worker" for the dentist is a crock. Her husband, Keith, was the de facto campaign manager for the dentist's campaign.
And let's call it like it is - the Mayor, her husband and their dentist are "in bed" with the Police and Fire Unions. Their PAC spent nearly $240K this election cycle in unreported campaign mailings and contributions. These PACs have been fined by the Secretary of State's office for not filing their necessary reports. They still haven't filed their reports.
This is Chicago-style political corruption. A new election is the only responsible thing to do.
@Kennekra
Right again. I'm glad to hear the good news. Even though it was only for one precinct. I am registered in Ward 4 (different precinct) and voted as well, along with two family members in the same ward and precinct.
Still using that old canard that "your vote doesn't count" as an excuse for not going to the polls?
I think Richard Cherchio is the better choice. The dentist seems shady.
Justin...
"Seems shady" how, exactly?
I am the real slim shady, boys & girls!
"Guess there's a Slim Shady in all of us"...
eminem
Just another reason (along with poor public participation) why the election process would be more efficient, convenient and thus encourage greater participation if it utilized the internet.
Hence, I submit for consideration that the current election process be converted from polling places and absentee balloting to online voting.
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Cherchio spent a lot of money attacking Dr. Wagner for the money that was being spent from the pockets of police and fire. The news media made a big deal about how much money Cherchio had raised, how much more he raised than Dr. Wagner. Why is it that no one is asking about Cherchio's money and where it came from? Why is it that we're not asking what special interests that money represents?