Reno, NV – July 10, 2024

In a surprising and contentious decision, the Washoe County Board of Commissioners voted Tuesday against certifying the recount results of two local primary elections. This unprecedented move could have far-reaching implications for the upcoming presidential race in Nevada, a crucial battleground state.

The three Republican members of the five-member board rejected the recount results for a commission seat and a school board seat from the June primaries. The outcome of this decision remains uncertain as county and state officials have yet to comment on the next steps.

The Washoe County elections department, district attorney’s office, and state attorney general have all remained silent on the issue.

Election certification, once a routine procedural task, has become a focal point of controversy since the 2020 elections. Similar issues have occurred in other states, such as New Mexico, where a rural county delayed certification of primary results until the state supreme court intervened.

Washoe County has narrowly voted Democratic in the last two presidential elections, and recent years have seen a rise in conspiracy theories about voting machines and distrust of election administrators. These tensions were evident during the commission meeting, where public comments included allegations of election irregularities and calls for a hand-count of ballots.

The Republican commissioners, Jeanne Herman and Mike Clark, have consistently opposed certifying election results. Clara Andriola, another Republican who had previously voted to certify results, joined them in rejecting the recount certification. Andriola, who won her primary race, cited concerns raised by public commenters and administrative errors by the elections department as reasons for her vote.

The two Democratic commissioners voted against rejecting the recount results, which had only changed one vote in each of the two races. The board had previously certified other races from last month’s primary in a 3-2 vote, with Andriola voting in favor at that time.

The immediate consequences of this certification standoff are unclear. The situation raises concerns about the potential for similar disputes during the November presidential election, especially if local commissions refuse to certify results.

As Washoe County navigates this electoral controversy, the implications for Nevada’s role in the national political landscape remain to be seen. The county’s ongoing challenges with election integrity and administration underscore the heightened scrutiny and tension surrounding the democratic process in one of the nation’s key swing states.