Only Republicans can vote for Douglas County Commissioners

Douglas County residents who are not registered as Republicans will not have a say in who the next Douglas County Commissioners will be.

Why?

Because of a new Nevada law that says: If all candidates for an office are from the same party the election for that office will be completed in the primary election. Only those affiliated with that party will be able to vote.

In the 2015 Legislature, a bill that had started out as a proposal to open Nevada’s primary elections to all voters ended up looking completely different and the person who gets the most votes in the closed primary advances to the general election ballot as the de facto winner.

All five candidates for the three open Douglas County commissioners’ seats are Republicans, so only registered Republicans will have a say in who leads the county.

One race is uncontested with nobody vying against incumbent Commissioner Barry Penzel. Board Chairman Doug Johnson has already met his 12-year term limit so Larry Walsh and Frank Godecke are running for his seat. Commissioner Greg Lynn is up for re-election and is running against Dave Nelson.

The county commission seats have geographic districts which determine where a candidate can live, but are elected at large.

There are key issues in the near future for Douglas County residents at Lake Tahoe. They have a need for a reservoir to store the effluent that is pumped off the hill. Candidates Dave Nelson and Larry Walsh are positioning themselves against the gravel pit plan as well as solar power in the valley. Frank Godecke and Greg Lynn are seen as understanding the issues facing lake residents.

It is anticipated that some voters in Douglas County will change their political affiliation so they can vote in the June 14 primary, then change it back again prior to the November elections. The county is currently two-thirds Republican.

Deadlines are coming up for voter registration. According to County Clerk/Treasurer Kathy Lewis, residents of the county can register until May 24 on-line or in person, and until May 13 if with a registrar.

For those wishing to switch parties before the general election, the deadline is October 18, 2016 to do so, said Lewis.