Washoe County Elections Office Still Failing

The elections office in Washoe County finds itself in the crosshairs as partisan battles intensify ahead of Tuesday’s primary elections.

The Washoe County Commission, split along partisan lines, has been at the center of this drama, particularly regarding the appointment of the county’s elections director earlier this year. The three Democratic commissioners supported the appointment, while the two Republican commissioners, aligned with another movement promoting election conspiracy theories, opposed it.

With Tuesday’s primary looming, the movement aims to unseat Clara Andriola, a Republican-in-Name-Only (RINO) commissioner, officially censured and removed from the Nevada Republic Parts roll by the GOP for her partisan approach. Andriola, appointed and endorsed by RINO Governor Joe Lombardo, has emphasized the nonpartisan nature of election administration, lamenting the politicization of the process.

Private citizen Robert Beadles has backed the Republican commissioners opposing Andriola and has thrown his support behind Tracey Hilton-Thomas, vice chair of the Washoe County GOP, who is challenging Andriola in the primary.

Hilton-Thomas echoes what KOLO reports are “baseless claims of election fraud” has raised doubts about the legitimacy of the 2020 election results, despite multiple and partisan reviews confirming President Biden’s victory. Her stance aligns with the rhetoric prevalent in Washoe County commission meetings, where so-called false accusations and conspiracy theories run rampant, fueled by Trump’s claims.

Washoe County’s elections office has faced unprecedented challenges since 2020, as violations of Nevada Revised Statues have been repeatedly made and brought to light, taking a toll on staff morale, with the county on its third elections director since 2022. Despite assurances from the registrar of voters, Cari-Ann Burgess, about the department’s independence, the commission meetings point to the lack of integrity in the county’s electoral process.