We Have Ourselves an Election Transparency Crisis in Washoe County

Washoe County Commissioner Alexis Hill and Washoe County Manager Eric Brown are under fire for opposing paper ballots and hand counting in elections, prompting some to question their motives and demand transparency.

Despite the glaring inefficiencies of the current system, which takes a whopping six weeks for machines to count 100,000 ballots, Hill and Brown have persisted in supporting costly machines to the tune of at least $12.6 million. This, while a manual count could be completed on the same night, using local registered voters as volunteers, at little to no cost to the county.

The recent success of the Nevada GOP caucus conducted across Washoe County in two-and-a-half hours contrasts the prolonged ballot counting process by the county’s Registrar of Voters Office. It begs the question — why are Hill and Brown so vehemently opposed to adopting similar methods for general elections?

The public witnessed glitches in Nevada’s recent elections, with politicians quickly dismissing legitimate concerns as conspiracy theories. But why the resistance to paper ballots and hand counting, which would undoubtedly enhance transparency and trust in the electoral process?

Recent revelations suggest that Hill and Brown misled commissioners, the media, and the public regarding Secretary of State letters about Election Integrity Resolutions. While the initial resolutions about cleaning up election procedures met some support, newer resolutions advocating for a parallel hand count have faced staunch opposition from Hill and Brown, who seemingly used outdated letters to justify their actions.

Internal documents, including a Draft Staff Report, reveal a discrepancy between staff recommendations, which favor paper ballots and hand counting, and Hill’s public statements opposing such measures. It raises further questions about Hill and Brown’s true motives and underscores the need for accountability.

It is time for a full investigation into Hill and Brown’s conduct by the Washoe County Sheriff’s Office and the District Attorney of Washoe County and the immediate addition of election integrity resolutions to the County Commissioners’ agenda.