Let the campaigning begin

Elections are not quite the “Hunger Games,” but the intense campaigning and rhetoric will increase as the political season progresses.

Nevada’s unique two-season filing period has begun, and in Churchill County, New Township Justice of the Peace Mike Richards filed for re-election, and Sheriff Ben Totter, who decided not to run for a third term, also filed.

It’s the political season in the Silver State, and it could be just as wild and unpredictable as the Red tide of 2014 when Republicans swept all six state constitutional offices or Southern Nevada’s dominance over the rest of the state in 2016 when newly-elected Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto won Harry Reid’s old office by winning only one county, Clark, and managed fewer than 25 percent of the vote in 15 Nevada rural counties.

Through today, individuals can register as candidates for justice of the peace, but then the next filing period March 5-16 when other office-seekers from the local to the state level can run for a particular office.

The second round of filings is in early March where most county offices will be up for grabs. Pete Olsen is the only county commissioner up for re-election, while the assessor, public administrator, recorder and clerk/treasurer positions are all open.

Art Mallory said he plans to run for re-election as district attorney, but the sheriff’s race is wide open like it was in 2010 when Trotter won his first four-year term.

Three spots on the Mosquito, Weed and Abatement Board and four seats on the Churchill County School Board are open this year.

Several major statewide offices will see new people vying for those positions because of the current office-holder running for governor, and that includes Attorney General Adam Laxalt and Treasurer Dan Schwartz. Elections will also be conducted for secretary of state, comptroller, attorney general, treasurer and lieutenant governor.

Carol Del Carlo, who filled an unexpired term on the Board of Regents, is running for a full term. Her district represents Churchill County.

This will not be a quiet year for Nevada’s senior senator, Dean Heller, who faces a challenge in the primary from Danny Tarkanian. The winner is likely to face Nevada Congresswoman Jacky Rosen, who represents Congressional District 3 after defeating Tarkanian in 2016. Unlike a senator, who must run every six years, Nevada’s congressional representatives must run every two years. Mark Amodei, who represents Congressional District 2 in Northern Nevada, is expected to seek another term. He carried his district with 58 percent of the vote in 2016.

Assemblywoman Robin Titus, whose District 38 represents most of Lyon and all of Churchill counties, is up for re-election, as is State Sen. James Settelmeyer, who serves Churchill, Douglas, Lyon and Storey counties in Senate District 17.

The primary election occurs June 10 with early voting May 24-June 6.