The Clark County Registrar of Voters (ROV) Lorena Portillo has acknowledged an error that allowed candidates to file for a District Court seat not officially declared vacant.
County spokesperson Stephanie Wheatley confirmed that the Department 27 seat, for which candidates Casey Quinn and Melanie Thomas filed during the judicial filing period, was inadvertently placed on the ballot without an official declaration of vacancy by Gov. Joe Lombardo.
The department seat was declared vacant on Wednesday evening, January 17, after the filing deadline had passed.
The seat became vacant on Wednesday, January 10, when District Judge Nancy Allf announced her retirement after nearly 13 years on the bench. According to state statute, a seat must be declared vacant before the end of the filing period before opening during the regular filing period.
Allf’s early retirement triggered an appointment process to fill the position, with seven attorneys applying for the seat during a monthlong application period that ended on Thursday, January 11. However, none of the applicants filed for the seat in the regular election because the Special filing period for the November 2024 general election is from Sunday, June 16 to Wednesday, July 26.
County officials anticipate conducting this Special candidate filing period when candidates can file for the seat. The candidates from the Special filing period will then appear on the general election ballot.
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