Preliminary election results in local races

By VERNON ROBISON

The Progress

While final results of the 2022 General Elections are not yet entirely in, many of the results of the local elections are fairly certain.

Virgin Valley

It is at least clear that he make up of the Mesquite City Council stands to see a major change in the next year.

Karen Fielding came out a clear winner in the race for Council Seat #1. She won the race with 61 percent of the vote against incumbent councilwoman Sandra Ramaker.

Councilwoman Karen Dutkowski, also an incumbent in Seat #4, appears to have been defeated as well by a margin of nearly 700 votes as of Monday morning. Challenger Paul Wanlass seems to have won the seat with almost 54 percent of the vote at that time.

In the race for Council Seat #3, there was no incumbent. Councilman George Gault opted not to run for reelection this year. It is fairly clear that Pattie Gallo won the election by a broad margin taking 61 percent of the vote against Joey Bowler.

In the race for Constable of Bunkerville Township, the decision has come down to a margin of 26 votes in a field of 352 total ballots cast, as of Monday morning. Jace Haviland beat Erik Laub for the post, winning the election with 53 percent of the vote.

Moapa Valley

In the Moapa Valley’s first ever Town Advisory Board election, some of the margins were pretty slim on Monday morning. Changes could still occur in the next few days as the mail-in ballots are tallied. The top five candidates with the most votes will be seated on the board for the coming two-year term.

Local realtor Lori Houston was a clear front runner in the election getting 1,814 votes and 22 percent.

Incumbent board members Brian Burris and Lois Hall both appear to have retained their seats on the board. Burris received 1,197 votes or 14.6 percent, while Hall tallied 1,095 votes at 13.42 percent.

The other two candidates who have apparently made the cut as board members shaved it razor close. Janice Ridondo received 898 votes with 11 percent. Jill Gladwin-Williams came in one vote behind her at 897 with 10.9 percent.

But not far behind them was incumbent MVTAB member Megan Porter who received 874 votes (10.7 percent), just 24 votes shy of being reelected.

Tammy Symons received 839 votes with 10.28 percent.

Though Shanna McPheters pulled out of the race earlier this year (after the deadline to be removed from the ballot), she still garnered 545 votes or 6.68 percent.

In the race for Moapa Valley Water District incumbent Kelby Robison had a strong showing, taking 42.31 percent, or 699 votes. Scott Farnsworth got 587 votes or 35.5 percent; and Janice Ridondo received 366 votes or 22.15 percent.

In the election for the OPD5 Overton seat, incumbent Richard Jones won with 650 votes or 58.14 percent. Joe Davis came away with 468 votes at 41.86 percent.