Filing period for Town Advisory Board candidates:
MARCH 7-18
For more information go to www.clarkcountynv.gov
By MAGGIE MCMURRAY & VERNON ROBISON
Moapa Valley Progress
Moapa Valley voters will likely be faced with a new item on their ballot in November. For the first time, the members of local Town Advisory Boards (TABs) will be chosen by the voters of their communities in the general election.
In the past, state law gave authority to the County Commissioners to appoint community members to serve on the TABs. Local residents who wished to serve on the boards had to fill out applications to the Commissioners to be considered for the post.
For many years, the Moapa Valley communities held unofficial straw poll votes which took place on election day aside from the regular polls. This straw poll was meant to gauge the desires of the community on who should serve on the TAB. Commissioners usually heeded the wishes of the community and appointed TAB members who had been elected in the straw poll. But in 2009 the Commission disregarded the straw poll and appointed TAB members who had not been chosen by the voters. Since then, the communities have disbanded the straw poll and declined to hold it.
But state law, which was passed in last year’s Legislature, now requires that TAB candidates appear on the official election ballot beginning this November. Anyone who resides in the unincorporated township boundaries for at least 30 days prior to the filing deadline can run for a position on that township’s five member TAB. That rule includes the townships of Moapa, Moapa Valley and Bunkerville.
All candidates run in the election at-large. If more than five candidates file to be on the ballot an election is held. The five with the most votes are elected to serve on the board. A primary election is held only if more than 10 people file for candidacy.
If only five people file, no election is held. Those five are automatically considered to be elected. If less than five candidates file, then the whole thing gets kicked back to the County Commissioners who will appoint the TAB members as they have done in the past.
To appear on the ballot, candidates must fill out paperwork in person at the Clark County Government Center in Las Vegas. The filing dates are between March 7-18. There will be no fee for filing since the position is unpaid. But a candidate must show identification and proof of residency.
In meetings held last month, Clark County Registrar Joseph Gloria made presentations to the members of both the Moapa and the Moapa Valley TABs. He explained the process for filing to be on the ballot and opened the floor to questions from TAB members or the community.
In the Moapa meeting, Moapa TAB member Ryan Udall asked Gloria what type of identification was required when filing. “Most of us have our post office box number on our driver’s license,” Udall said. “That doesn’t provide proof of residency.”
Gloria responded that an additional form of identification would then be required. This could include something like a utility bill that has the candidate’s home address on it.
Gloria went on to explain that candidates would not need to file a Candidate Statement of Financial Disclosure at the time they register to run since the TAB positions are volunteer. But in accordance with the law, any candidate that is elected must file a Statement of Financial Disclosure with the Secretary of State by January 15 of each year they hold office, whether they campaigned for that office or not.
In the Moapa Valley meeting, Moapa Valley TAB member Gene Houston asked whether term limits would now apply to TAB positions. He stated that he had been serving for more than 12 years on the TAB, which is the state’s term limit. Houston asked if he would be eligible to file to be on the ballot and run for the seat again.
Garcia responded that term limits only apply from the first time that the candidate had appeared on the ballot for that position. Thus, the term limit clock for all newly elected TAB members would start next year only after the first official election.
Garcia said that the registrar website will display, in real time, the number of people and the names of those who have filed. That will continue up to the filing deadline, he said.
Gloria added that a complete filing guide can be obtained from the registrar’s office or found online at www.clarkcountynv.gov.
