Storey County JOP Race

Storey County Justice of the Peace Annette Daniels is facing attorney Harold Swafford in her second bid to retain office. Both are registered non-partisan, but the similarity ends there.

Originally appointed to the position when her predecessor resigned in 1988, Daniels trained for the position on the job. Swafford, on the other hand, gained experience for the position through his law practice.

Daniels, 54, is in her 12th year as justice of the peace in Virginia City, a position she wants to keep, and she feels she is the most qualified candidate based on her experience.

She says she loves the work, has no other professional agenda and commits full-time to the job and the people of Storey County.

"I'm happy here. It's a fun job, and I like working where I can really make a difference," Daniels said. "A lot of people I've dealt with in court feel they were treated fairly and have been happy with the outcome even when they lost."

She is looking forward to computerizing application procedures so they can be handled online, as well as implementation of a new case management system presently in the experimental stages. The county is in the process of getting a grant for these programs.

Daniels said she has always worked and although she has some college, most of her training has been on the job, continuing education from the National Judicial College, the Nevada Judges Association and the National Judges Association.

From San Diego, she and her husband of 28 years moved here in 1981.

Swafford, 61, said Daniels is not serving the needs of the people of Storey County and he expects to change that.

"I was asked to run by several of residents in Storey County who are dissatisfied with the present court," Swafford said. "I decided it would be a service to the community. The present justice has no legal background, and I feel I could do a better job.

"This is not a race for president or governor," Swafford said. "This is a race to improve the justice court. Ordinary people go there to have their cases heard and when someone comes to try a case they need to be informed of procedures so they know what to do.

"They don't get any instruction now from the court. I would make it more user-friendly by publishing pamphlets, books of instruction and form files."

From Michigan, Swafford holds a degree in business administration from the University of Nevada, Reno, and a law degree from the University of Michigan. He has practiced law in Nevada for 28 years, 23 in private practice and five as a Nevada deputy attorney general. He has conducted more than 60 jury trials in state and federal courts and represented Nevada for more than 20 years on Truckee River water rights issues.

He presently works out of a one-lawyer office in Reno and resides in the Virginia City Highlands with his wife and two sons. Both boys have attended Virginia County schools since kindergarden and his wife Katie teaches at Virginia City Middle School.

William, 19, is a sophomore at the University of Nevada, Reno, majoring in gaming management, and Oliver is a senior at Virginia City High School.

Swafford spent five years with the Virginia Highlands Volunteer Fire Department, and chaired the Architectural Committee there. He coached Little League and was a member of the North Reno Kiwanis.