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All North Las Vegas races to be determined in June runoff

Two council seats, judgeship to be decided in general election

Updated Wednesday, April 6, 2011 | 12:18 a.m.

Election coverage

Face to Face: Election Night Coverage

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  • Face to Face: Election Night Coverage
  • Face to Face: Election Night Coverage
  • Face to Face: Election Night Coverage
  • Face to Face: Election Night Coverage

None of the North Las Vegas primary races were determined on Tuesday, sending the Ward 2 and 4 City Council seats and a judgeship to runoffs in June’s general election.

In Ward 4, Wade Wagner beat Councilman Richard Cherchio by 72 votes, or 3 percent of the vote, but neither hit the 50 percent vote mark to win outright.

Wagner, a dentist, received 1,384 votes, or 46.8 percent of the vote. Cherchio, a 10-year resident and a retired U.S. Postal Service letter carrier, received 1,312 votes, or 44.4 percent of the vote.

“I’m pleased,” Wagner said. “Citywide, I’m the only challenger who came out ahead. It came real close, but I plan on moving forward.”

Cherchio said, “The reality of it is, we’ve known from the outset from our own polls that it was a dead heat. I think I did very good with the onslaught of purposeful misinformation about me” during the campaign.

In late March, the North Las Vegas police union filed an ethics complaint against Cherchio, who has voted in the past to lay off corrections officers.

In the complaint, the North Las Vegas Police Officers Association alleged Cherchio claimed to have their endorsement by using pictures and logos of law enforcement officers in his campaign advertisements.

Cherchio’s rows with the unions had an impact on the election results, but “it wasn’t anything unexpected,” the candidate said.

“I’m looking forward to the general election,” he said. “This way we can discuss the issues and we’ll have the time to answer constituents’ questions.”

Seven candidates, meanwhile, vied for the Ward 2 council seat being vacated by Councilman William Robinson, who is term-limited from running again. None of the candidates received 50 percent of the vote, so the top two candidates will face off in the general election.

Pamela Goynes-Brown, the daughter of former mayor Theron Goynes, received

the most votes — 425 votes, or 26.8 percent.

There was a tie for the second spot on the June ballot between Tanya Flanagan, a web content administrator with Clark County, and Linda Meisenheimer, a Realtor.

Both received 328 votes, or 20.7 percent of the vote. According to state law, the winner of the tie will be determined by lot by drawing for a high card.

The most votes cast in the primary election was for the Municipal Court, Dept. 1, judgeship, where four candidates were vying for the position being vacated by Warren VanLandschoot.

The top-two vote-getters, Catherine Ramsey and Marsha Kimble-Simms, will meet in the general election.

Ramsey received 2,374 votes, or 37 percent. Kimble-Simms had 2,243 votes, or 35 percent of the votes.

A total of 6,637 votes were cast in the primary, with 2,779 votes cast on Election Day, 3,079 during early voting and 779 votes cast by mail.

Election officials reported low voter turnout, with some polling stations reporting 100 to 200 voters on Tuesday.

Jesus Meza, 65, said he voted for Catherine Ramsey because “we need someone who is good who can help us.” He said Ramsey has promised “to pay attention” to the Hispanic community.

For Meza, whose son is a police officer, public safety is the reason he came out to the Neighborhood Recreation Center to vote.

“We have too many crimes,” he said. “We need more police.”

Aaron Ferguson, who was waiting for his wife at the Cheyenne High School polling station, said he voted early for Kimble-Simms.

The 13-year resident said he voted because he was worried about crime in his neighborhood. Ferguson, 73, said his house was burglarized five years ago.

“They took my wife’s jewelry and turned the house upside down,” he said. “With the budget so bad, we can’t cut cops. Sandoval doesn’t want us to have nothing. He’s going overboard with the cuts.”

CORRECTION: This story has been updated to reflect that Warren VanLandschoot is the municipal court judge vacating his position. | (April 6, 2011)

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