A growing wave of concern and frustration is sweeping through Washoe County as accusations emerge regarding the actions and decisions of the District Attorney’s office, particularly Deputy District Attorney (DDA) Mary Kandaris, in the aftermath of a contentious election recount. The issue has raised concerns about whether the DA’s office is serving the public.
The controversy began when Kandaris allegedly informed observers, including Drew Rebar, that the press would not be allowed to film or witness the election recount process. This decision sparked outrage, especially after local media outlets reported on the exclusion, leading to a reversal of the decision and eventual press access hours after the recount had already begun.
Further fueling dissatisfaction, the DA’s office charged over $152,000 for a recount of three races, which was expected to be conducted by hand but instead utilized the same machines that had initially tallied the votes, resulting in identical outcomes. The speed with which this recount was conducted, in mere hours rather than weeks, has led to accusations that the high cost was to dissuade others from demanding recounts in the future.
On Tuesday, July 9, DDA Nate Edwards advised county commissioners to vote according to their conscience on whether to certify the recount of the canvass. However, when Vice Chair Jeanne Herman and Commissioners Clara Andriola and Micheal Clark voted against certification, they were criticized by the press, labeling them as “election deniers” and “threats to democracy.”
The situation escalated when, the following day, Commissioner Andriola called for a revote under pressure, which led to the recount being certified. The move is opposite from the previous week’s advice from Edwards, with Kandaris providing what many believe was poor legal guidance by insisting the commissioners had no choice but to certify the recount.
Clark later revealed that he felt compelled to vote to certify under threats of criminal prosecution, fines, and removal from office. However, his explanation failed to address substantial evidence suggesting vote tampering and improper setup of counting machines.
Only Vice Chair Jeanne Herman stood firm, refusing to certify the recount, stating, “There are hills to ride on and hills to die on; I guess this will be the hill I die on as I cannot certify this recount.”
Her stance highlighted what she described as a lack of appetite for election integrity within the board and the at-large county.
The DA’s office is also under fire for not addressing voter rolls with nearly 11,485 illegal addresses, according to the county’s records still on file. Despite the DA’s office having the authority to investigate and address these issues, Kandaris has reportedly told those raising concerns to sue the county if they are dissatisfied with her responses.
The series of events has led to a call for accountability, with many questioning whether Hicks is aware of or supports the actions taken by his office.
The Old Blog in the Desert 
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