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Sixteen people apply for appointment to Sparks-area Assembly seat vacant after Mike Sprinkle resigns

Megan Messerly
Megan Messerly
Michelle Rindels
Michelle Rindels
IndyBlogLegislature
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Assembly Chambers during speech

Sixteen people have submitted applications to replace former Democratic Assemblyman Mike Sprinkle, who resigned last week amid allegations of sexual harassment against him.

Among the applicants are Washoe County teachers union lobbyist Natha Anderson; former reporter and Nevada National Guard historian Emerson Marcus; ex-Regent Nancy Price; Greg Smith, whose late wife, Debbie, used to represent the district;  and Wendy Stolyarov, who was previously a lobbyist for the Libertarian Party. The deadline for applying to the seat was 5 p.m. on Tuesday.

The Washoe County Commission will select Sprinkle’s replacement at its March 26 meeting. Those seeking the appointment must be at least 21 years old, live in Assembly District 30 and be a Democrat. (Because Sprinkle was a Democrat, he must by law be replaced by a Democrat.)

Here’s the complete list of candidates:

  • Natha Clyde Anderson, president of the Washoe Education Association teachers union
  • Laura Bayer, clerk of the Reno-Tahoe Airport Authority board and a City of Sparks parks and recreation commissioner
  • Deborah Ann Chicago, a forensic media photographer and FEMA instructor
  • Elvira Diaz, a restaurant cashier and activist with progressive and immigrant rights groups
  • Jenna Garcia, an attorney with the Washoe County Alternate Public Defender’s Office
  • Joseph C. Giampapa, an author and educator
  • Jonathon R. Haley, a social worker with Washoe County Human Services
  • Debra Lynn Harris, a high school teacher who works with English language learners
  • Thor Kevin Jensen, a retired Navy operations officer
  • Javier Lara-Renteria, a UNR graduate who has worked in sales
  • Emerson Marcus, a historian with the Nevada National Guard and former Reno Gazette-Journal reporter
  • Leslie Ann Mix, president of a Latino-focused marketing firm and former president of the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Northern Nevada
  • Nancy A. Price, a former regent and widow of former Assemblyman Bob Price
  • Evan Pritsos, an adjunct professor of history and political science at Western Nevada College
  • Greg Smith, husband of late state Sen. Debbie Smith and a 2018 candidate for the Washoe County Commission
  • Wendy Danielle Stolyarov, a lobbyist on blockchain legislation and former lobbyist for the Libertarian Party of Nevada

Updated at 10 a.m. on March 21, 2019 to add details of each candidate.

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