Nevada Legislature: Bill would increase qualifications for candidates

Nevada Republicans are proposing a bill that would increase restrictions on disqualified candidates for public office.

Republican Assemblywoman Victoria Seaman sponsored the bill and gave testimony on AB177 during a meeting of the Assembly Committee on Legislative Operations and Elections on Tuesday.

The bill would require candidates to live in their district for at least six months in order to run for office, not count ballots for disqualified candidates and create a class E felony for lying on candidate residency forms.

Seaman said her opponent in 2014 was disqualified by a judge before the election but was still allowed to collect ballots and possibly win under Nevada law. She said the bill was “personal and necessary” to keep legislators honest to their constituents.