Nevada Secretary of State Francisco Aguilar and state Attorney General Aaron Ford discuss Nevada’s election process Wednesday. (Photo: April Corbin Girnus/Nevada Current)
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Nevada’s Secretary of State asked the Nevada Supreme Court to intervene after Washoe County refused to certify recount results from the June 9 Primary Election.
Nevada Attorney General Aaron Ford filed a petition on Wednesday with the state Supreme Court on behalf of Secretary of State Cisco Aguilar asking the court to act as soon as possible and compel officials to certify the election recount results in accordance with state law.
In a joint statement, Ford and Aguilar warned Washoe County was undermining voter confidence in elections by rejecting the results.
“This vote has the potential to set a dangerous precedent for elections in Nevada,” Aguilar said in a statement. “It is unacceptable that any public officer would undermine the confidence of their voters.”
Washoe County Commissioners on Tuesday voted 3-2 against certifying the results of an official recount of two races, Washoe County Commission District 4 and Washoe County School Board District G, from Nevada’s June 9 primary.
The outcomes of the races, which results weren’t close to begin with, did not change following the recount.
Republican Commissioners Michael Clark, Jeanne Herman and Clara Andriola voted against certification while Democratic Commissioners Alexis Hill and Mariluz Garcia voted in favor of certification.
“When the Board of Commissioners failed to perform its duty to certify the authenticated results of the recount, it failed to meet the expectation of Nevada voters that the election results would reflect the votes of the majority,” Ford said in a statement.
Washoe County is expected to consider another vote on the results at a July 16 meeting.
It wasn’t the first time Washoe officials voted against certifying results.
Clark and Herman also voted against certifying the county’s original canvas back in June.
Voting advocates warned this is an attempt to spread misinformation and sow distrust in the democratic process ahead of the presidential election.
Kerry Durmick, state director at All Voting is Local Nevada, said Washoe County’s decision to not certify the results “was an attack against voters and an attempt to undermine our democracy.”
“We must always do right by voters and accept the will of the people,” Durmick said in a statement. “Due to their actions, Washoe County now faces legal action filed by Attorney General Ford with the Nevada Supreme Court on behalf of Secretary Aguliar. It’s unfortunate that this has to happen, but voters deserve to have their voices heard and their votes respected.”
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