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StumbleJudge grants order temporarily blocking NLV special election
Thursday, June 23, 2011 | 7:35 p.m.
NLV council race
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KSNV coverage of temporary restraining order blocking new election to determine winner of disputed North Las Vegas Ward 4 City Council seat, June 23, 2011.
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A judge on Thursday granted a temporary restraining order blocking North Las Vegas from holding a new election in one precinct to determine the winner of the Ward 4 seat on the City Council.
The order, sought by former Mayor Michael Montandon and another individual, bars the city from “preparing for or conducting a new election.” It came the day the council met with plans to discuss details for the election.
In the June 7 general election, challenger Wade Wagner beat incumbent Councilman Richard Cherchio by a single vote — 1,831 to 1,830. But it was later discovered that an invalid vote was cast in Precinct 4306, prompting the City Council to order a new election in that precinct.
Wagner has also filed a lawsuit to block a new election.
Mayor Pro Tempore William E. Robinson, who voted for the special election, said he was disappointed and expressed concerns about legal fees the cash-strapped city might incur.
“I’m mad as hell,” said Robinson. “It’s childish, and I’m disappointed in this entire process.”
Michelle Bailey-Hedgepeth, assistant to the city manager, said that there will be no further discussions about the special election until after a court hearing scheduled for Tuesday.
Cherchio’s term on the council, meanwhile, is about to expire. “We will not have a council member after July 1 it looks like right now,” Bailey-Hedgepeth said.
Cherchio said he is disappointed in the legal wrangling over conducting a new election in Precinct 4306, where 48 votes were cast in the general election. “This process needed to go forward for the sake of the residents,” he said.
What’s worse, Cherchio said, is that legal fees stemming the lawsuits could cost the city upwards of $30,000, while a new election would cost about $2,000.
“I think its wrong,” Cherchio said. “It’s taking the right of the public away to speak on a decision, to give them an opportunity to vote.”
Archives
- Wagner sues North Las Vegas, tries to block new election (6-21-2011)
- New election ordered in NLV race separated by single vote (6-15-2011)
- Illegal ballot adds uncertainty to North Las Vegas council race (6-12-2011)
- NLV Councilman Richard Cherchio ousted by a single vote (6-7-2011)
- Unions target incumbent Richard Cherchio in NLV council race (5-28-2011)
Discussion: 2 comments so far…
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Comment removed by moderator. Uncivil.
I'm too lazy to do the math but there is a HIGH probability that Wagner won by 2 votes. We won't know until they certify this election already.
Cherchio is the one that is scared. His handlers won't take care of him without that Mayor seat he's dreaming about.
If only our newspapers would participate in real journalism, instead of forcing their political views upon us, the readers. Here's the real story behind this election from George Knapp
http://www.lasvegascitylife.com/articles...
If the election is found not valid and the winner won by only one vote there needs to be a special election. No one has either won or lost at this point and anything other than another election would mean that a great injustice has been done. You would think that people should be more upset with these lawsuits trying to take a public position through legal loopholes rather than a valid election. Yes a mistake was made and it will cost more money but its more important that the official that takes power is the actual true an fair winner of the election.
The vote in question was cast by a person living in the ward that he voted in. The problem seems to be that he never changed his voter ID registration address. If there is a new election, it should allow only the people in the ward who voted last time to vote in the new election and if this individual has since changed his voting address, he would be allowed to vote in the ward. The outcome will remain the same.
I guess when we run out of money for payroll, we can issue them vouchers ? How about a forensic audit of every city employee's payroll record for the past 3 years ? Then if any infraction is found that individual can be dismissed with cause and we won't even need to pay unemployment.
Hey, our guys do a good job, but, the well has run dry. Revenue just isn't there and their unions refuse to make further concessions. Times are bad. Probably worse than during the 1930's, with no turn around in sight. Obviously the city cannot produce more revenue, as they are already peaked on property taxes, so our city payroll can only be met with reductions, either in compensation or number of employees. Possibly both. It may be time to quit bargaining with public service unions altogether.