Published Wednesday, March 23, 2022 | 8:32 a.m.
Updated Wednesday, March 23, 2022 | 9:37 a.m.
RENO — Elected officials in a northern Nevada county have rejected sweeping election reforms that would have posted sheriff’s deputies at polling sites and required most votes to be cast with paper ballots counted by hand.
The proponent, conservative Washoe County Commissioner Jeanne Herman, was the only board member to vote for the plan late Tuesday after some seven hours of often-passionate public comment in Reno.
Herman had cited mistrust of elections, echoing a false narrative that widespread fraud cost former Republican President Donald Trump a victory in the 2020 presidential contest.
Projections had put the cost of implementation at about $5 million, and the American Civil Liberties Union of Nevada had vowed to sue if the plan was approved.
The Washoe County District Attorney’s office and the state Legislative Counsel Bureau found flaws in the plan and Washoe County Sheriff Darin Balaam said he doesn’t have staff to put a deputy at all 20 early voting locations and 65 primary-day sites.
Commission Chairman Vaughn Hartung and Commissioner Bob Lucey said they supported parts of the idea, but Hartung said the issue requires action by the state Legislature.
Critics said the reforms would suppress voting and intimidate voters when there had been no evidence of widespread voter fraud in the county or the state.
