Municipal balloting
Local posts up for grabs across valley
THE Las Vegas City Council race for Ward 2 has gotten particularly ugly, but the vitriol hasn’t translated into voter interest. Apathy has long represented the norm for local municipal elections.
With early voting wrapped, the turnout numbers are — predictably — abysmal. Fewer than 4 percent of registered Las Vegas voters cast ballots during the two-week window even though the election features one citywide judicial race.
The numbers were slightly higher in Henderson and North Las Vegas, but still extremely low. In Henderson, 4.6 percent of registered voters participated. In North Las Vegas, turnout in Ward 3 — the only seat on the ballot — stood at 6.7 percent.
The lone bright spot for fans of civic participation was Boulder City, where 22.7 percent of registered voters cast early ballots in a race that includes one at-large council seat and two initiatives.
Those who passed on early voting will have a last chance to vote tomorrow on the traditional Election Day. The dismal turnout figures mean those who do cast ballots wield outsized influence at the expense of those who don’t. The widespread disinterest also increases the potential for races to turn on just a handful of votes, meaning a single ballot or two may actually decide an election.
That could be the case in Las Vegas’s Ward 2, where incumbent Bob Beers, a former state lawmaker, faces Steve Seroka, a political newcomer and retired Air Force colonel.
The race has attracted thousands of dollars in outside money thanks to a vote Mr. Beers cast that angered several influential denizens of the wealthy Queensridge development. For weeks, Ward 2 residents have been inundated with mailers from third-party political action committees, most of them featuring nasty allegations.
Voters should ignore the negative noise. Mr. Beers has long been a champion of the taxpayer and a dependable check on bureaucratic excess. While Mr. Seroka’s long history of distinguished service would serve him well on the council, he offers no compelling reason for voters to dump the panel’s most ardent voice for fiscal responsibility. We urge a vote for Bob Beers.
In the two other races appearing on the Las Vegas ballot, we recommend Michele Fiore for the Ward 6 City Council seat and incumbent Judge Heidi Almase for Department 3 in Municipal Court.
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Of course, you could have written about the actual group that causes the most problems in this state: the local power brokers and state officials who are their employees.
According to CNBC, Nevada ranks 23rd in business friendliness, but last in education. Maybe that’s because we spend so little on education. But, hey, as long as taxes are low. Businesses don’t need no educated employees. Access to capital? We’re 44th. Well, at least we are not last.
Perhaps if you encouraged things such as educating our children, more businesses might come here. Consider addressing the problems here rather than whining about ones 2,500 miles away about which you can do — well, nothing. of Obamacare and the subsequent expansion of Medicaid.
My guess is that the Silver State will not be “devastated” and will survive whatever revisions to health care may be authored by Democrats or Republicans from time to time. Get a grip.