Northern NV

reno

Mayor, City Of RenoNonpartisan

Why it matters

The Reno mayor leads the city council of Nevada’s third-largest city. They hold one out of seven council votes and also hold sway in setting council meeting agendas and determining the overall vision of the city’s future and helping craft the city budget. Mayors hold four-year terms and cannot serve for more than 12 years. The top two candidates in the June primary will advance to the November general election.

Why you should care

This is the first time the mayoral seat has been open since incumbent Hillary Schieve took office in 2014. It comes at a time when the city is in a precarious financial position that will require long-term changes to avoid budget cuts every year. Residents have long expressed concerns about the availability of affordable housing and the state of the downtown area, with the city’s approval of data centers also an emerging issue. Some of the candidates include Reno City Council Members Devon Reese and Kathleen Taylor, Nevada’s former Democratic treasurer and Lt. Gov. Kate Marshall and perennial mayoral candidate Eddie Lorton.

Marshall, Kate

Kate Marshall

Marshall is the former state treasurer and lieutenant governor. She most recently served under President Joe Biden as a White House senior adviser, where she was a liaison to governors.

Reese, Devon

Devon Reese

Reese is an attorney specializing in employment law who has served on the Reno City Council since 2020.

Taylor, Kathleen

Kathleen Taylor

Taylor is the Reno vice mayor who has served on the Reno City Council since 2022. She is also the owner of a management consulting company.

Lorton, Eddie

Eddie Lorton

Lorton is the owner of a carpet cleaning business who has run for mayor in the last three elections.

Nuttle, Greg "Nutt"

Greg "Nutt" Nuttle

Nuttle is from Indiana and has worked as the director of graduate student services at UNR.

Ross, Tim

Tim Ross

Ross was a sergeant with the Washoe County Sheriff’s Office and was president of the executive board of the Washoe County Sheriff Deputies Association.

Yancey, Corinthia

Corinthia Yancey

Yancey is a small business owner and a former law enforcement officer.

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Jesse Razo

Candidate website could not be found.

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John Wayne Zink

Candidate website could not be found.

Reno City Councilmember, Ward 2Nonpartisan

Johnson, Matt

Matt Johnson

Johnson owned a Reno brewery and served as director of the Nevada Conservation Corps. He ran for mayor in 2022.

Pellett, Summer

Summer Pellett

Pellett is co-owner of her family construction company, Pellett Construction. She was previously a city planner for the City of Sparks. She is endorsed by the Washoe County GOP.

Vaupel, Vanessa

Vanessa Vaupel

Vaupel is a pharmacist who was chief of pharmacy at the Department of Veterans Affairs. She now works in data analytics support at the California-based University of the Pacific and in federal engagement strategy.

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Ian Luetkehans

Reno City Councilmember, Ward 4Nonpartisan

Ebert, Meghan

Meghan Ebert

Ebert has served on the city council since 2022. She also works as a business systems analyst.

Gomez, Eddie

Eddie Gomez

Gomez is from Reno and opened a restaurant with his father when he was 17.

Reno City AttorneyNonpartisan

Bogale, Zee

Zee Bogale

Bogale, a Reno native, is an attorney with experience in environmental and energy law. He was a senior attorney with NV Energy and currently works as an environmental policy attorney for Berkshire Hathaway Energy.

sparks

Mayor, City Of SparksNonpartisan

Why it matters

The city council for Nevada’s fifth-largest city is responsible for making policy decisions on everything from data centers to land zoning in a region with limited available land. The mayor does not have voting power but can veto policies. The election comes as Sparks faces budget challenges and increasing demand for housing. Council members are elected to four-year terms and can serve no more than three terms, while the mayor does not have term limits.

Why you should care

Mayor Ed Lawson is running for re-election but is facing a challenge from City Council Member Charlene Bybee, who is termed out of running for council again. Four people are vying for her open seat.

Lawson, Ed

Ed Lawson

Incumbent

Lawson has served as Sparks mayor since 2020. He previously spent a decade on the city council and worked for an outdoor sign company.

Bybee, Charlene

Charlene Bybee

Bybee has served on the Sparks City Council since 2012. She was also a flight attendant for more than 40 years.

Rawson, Wendi

Wendi Rawson

Rawson owns a winery in Sparks with her husband and has served on several local government bodies, including the Sparks Citizens Advisory Committee.

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Diana Mackey

Mackey had a 40-year career in human resources management, working for an electric power company and several startups.

Sparks City Council Member, Ward 2Nonpartisan

VanderWell, Dian

Dian VanderWell

Incumbent

VanderWell was appointed to the city council in 2020. She is also a mortgage and real estate agent.

O’Connell, Jamie

Jamie O’Connell

O’Connell is from Sparks and works at a medical billing company.

Rand, Hunter

Hunter Rand

Rand does software development at a local estate planning firm. He is also a former teacher and has experience in film and television production.

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Anthony Goulet

Candidate website could not be found.

Sparks City Council Member, Ward 4Nonpartisan

Harrell, Damon

Damon Harrell

Harrell is a Marine Corps veteran who says he is running for city council with a “conservative, common-sense vision.”

Mayberry, Adam

Adam Mayberry

Mayberry, a single father of two twin daughters, is a spokesman for the Truckee Meadows Fire Protection District, but is expecting to retire in August. He also serves as a trustee for the Washoe County School Board.

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Sean McCaffrey

McCaffrey started a travel agency and eco-friendly waste management business with his wife. He previously worked in leadership at a slot machine manufacturing company.

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Tracey Thomas

Thomas has worked in a variety of industries, including government technology, mortgages and local hospitality. She previously ran for Washoe County Commission.

washoe county

County Assessor

Republicans

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Christopher Sarman

Republican Party

County Clerk

Democrats

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Sean McDowell

Democratic Party

Republicans

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Janis Galassini

Republican Party
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Duane Meyer

Republican Party

County Recorder

Democrats

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Kalie Work

Democratic Party

County Treasurer

Republicans

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Justin Taylor

Republican Party

Incline Village General Improvement DistrictNonpartisan

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Ryan Brooks

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David Scott Noble

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Daniel R Olsen

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Harry Swenson

Public Administrator

Democrats

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Blaise Jorgensen

Democratic Party

Republicans

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Nicole Klitzke

Republican Party

Sun Valley General Improvement District (Vote 2)Nonpartisan

Neumann, Mark

Charles Mark Neumann

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Michael Iver Revty

Washoe County District Attorney

Why it matters

The Washoe County district attorney is the top prosecutor in Nevada’s second-largest county. This person holds considerable sway in charging and plea bargaining policies, including in decisions on whether to seek the death penalty, and sets the overall expectations of the county’s judicial system. District attorneys are elected to four-year terms and are not subject to term limits.

Why you should care

This is the first time that incumbent District Attorney Chris Hicks (R) is facing a challenger since first entering office in 2014. He is facing Wes Duncan (R), a former Nevada assemblymember and the GOP nominee for attorney general in 2018. They are the only two candidates, and because no Democrats are running, the winner of the June race will take office. Central to the race is a plea bargaining and charging policy that Hicks instituted several years ago. Some in the Washoe County legal community have argued that it has led to a surge in criminal trials that is overwhelming the court system, as well as letting more suspected criminals off the hook. Hicks has defended the policy, arguing it is striking the difficult balance of protecting victims and ensuring that people are not wrongfully prosecuted. The bitter primary has also included allegations of nepotism and ethics violations against Hicks and criticisms of various decisions to not pursue criminal charges.

Republicans

Hicks, Chris

Chris Hicks

Incumbent
Republican Party

Hicks has served as district attorney since 2014. His father was also district attorney and a federal judge.

Duncan, Wes

Wes Duncan

Republican Party

Duncan is the Sparks city attorney and former Nevada assemblymember. He is also an Air Force veteran.

Washoe County SheriffNonpartisan

Balaam, Darin

Darin Balaam

Balaam, elected sheriff for the first time in 2019, has worked for the Washoe County Sheriff's Office for more than two decades.. He holds bachelor's and master’s degrees related to criminal justice from the University of Nevada, Reno and from the University of Louisville.

washoe county commission

Why it matters

The Washoe County Commission is the main governing body for Nevada’s second-largest county, where members have the authority to pass local laws. They are also tasked with certifying elections — a responsibility that came under fire after it initially voted against certifying recount results two years ago. The county also interacts with local municipalities, such as the Reno and Sparks city councils, and there is a growing desire to make services among those local governments more connected. Commissioners can serve three, four-year terms.

Why you should care

Three of the five seats are up for re-election this year, including one open seat in District 5, which has drawn three five candidates. There is a notable race in District 2, which is the southeastern part of the county, where the Washoe County GOP has declined to endorse a candidate, despite its incumbent Mike Clark being a Republican.

County Commissioner, District 2

Democrats

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Susan Broili Kamesch

Democratic Party

Candidate website could not be found.

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Marie Rodriguez

Democratic Party

Rodriguez is a community services officer for the Reno Police Department. She has also worked in the airline industry and as a truck driver.

Republicans

Clark, Mike

Mike Clark

Republican Party

Clark is wrapping up his first term as Washoe County commissioner after serving as the county assessor. He has also worked in the Northern Nevada real estate industry.

Killoran, Jon

Jon Killoran

Republican Party

Killoran is a former broadcast journalist who has served as CEO of the Reno Tahoe Winter Games Coalition.

County Commissioner, District 3

Democrats

Garcia, Mariluz

Mariluz Garcia

Incumbent
Democratic Party

Originally from Elko, Garcia works as the executive director of UNR’s Dean’s Future Scholars program and holds a Ph.D. in education. She was first elected in 2022.

Republicans

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Troy Regas

Republican Party

Candidate website could not be found.

County Commissioner, District 5

Democrats

Wadsworth, Brian

Brian Wadsworth

Democratic Party

Wadsworth is the chief operating officer for Native Public Media and has served on the Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribal Council.

Republicans

Holt-Still, Tammy

Tammy Holt-Still

Republican Party

Holt-Still has been an advocate for victims of the Lemmon Valley floods in 2017 and contamination of Swan Lake.

Pierce, Rob

Rob Pierce

Republican Party

Pierce is a Navy veteran who held various positions at AT&T and has served on several county boards, including the regional planning commission.

Yriarte, Katherine

Katherine Yriarte

Republican Party

Yriarte runs a professional horse training business, founded the Nevada Equine Council and has worked as a veterinary assistant at Comstock Equine Hospital.

Other

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Lisa Lee

Libertarian Party of Nevada

Lee is a science writer and editor who has worked in various public health settings, including the Washoe County Human Services Agency.

washoe county school board

Why it matters

The Washoe County School Board is made up of seven elected members who oversee the district of nearly 60,000 students. They make budget and policy decisions, including approving pay raises for staff, and are responsible for hiring and managing the district’s superintendent, but they don’t direct day-to-day operational decisions for schools such as calling a snow day.

Why you should care

Like the Clark County School District, Washoe County schools are experiencing an enrollment decline, and the district recently lost its status as the second-largest district in the state as enrollment in charter schools has grown.

The enrollment decline has also meant less revenue, prompting the school board to look for areas of the budget to cut to avoid a deficit next year.

The district is also experiencing high superintendent turnover. The board will soon have to decide what to do to replace Superintendent Joe Ernst once he retires in July.

Two of the incumbents are not facing any challengers, meaning they will easily be re-elected.

Board President Adam Mayberry has chosen to run for Sparks City Council instead of running for another term on the board.

School Board Trustee, District BNonpartisan

Westlake, Colleen

Colleen Westlake

Westlake was elected to the school board in 2022. She’s a fifth-generation Nevadan, graduate of Wooster High School in Reno and UNR.

School Board Trustee, District CNonpartisan

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James "JJ" Phoenix

Phoenix was appointed to the seat in 2025. He’s a former Pyramid Lake Paiute tribal chairman, veteran and retired Reno police officer.

School Board Trustee, District FNonpartisan

Harvey, Sheena

Sheena Harvey

Harvey is an adjunct professor at UNR and the director of the university’s fitness and recreational sports department. She also sits on the City of Sparks’ Parks and Recreation Commission. She’s also been a board member for Immunize Nevada and the Northern Nevada Black Cultural Awareness Society.

Westlake, Brooke

Brooke Westlake

Westlake works as the donor development director for Ronald McDonald House Charities Northern Nevada. She serves on three state boards and committees, and is also the founder of the Women in Cannabis Expo. Her two sons are enrolled in the district.

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Scott Benton

Benton is the former head cheer and dance coach at Reed High School. He’s also an Army veteran who has served on the Washoe County School District’s Safe and Healthy Schools Commission and currently chairs the Council on Family Resource Centers.

carson city

Carson City Supervisor, Ward 1Nonpartisan

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Robert Stacey Giomi

Carson City Supervisor, Ward 3Nonpartisan

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Curtis Horton

Incumbent
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Mayita Sanchez

County AssessorNonpartisan

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Kimberly D Adams

County Clerk-RecorderNonpartisan

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William Scott Hoen

County TreasurerNonpartisan

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Andrew Rasor

District AttorneyNonpartisan

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David A. Bailey

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Kelly Brandon

Justice and Municipal Court Judge, Dept 3Nonpartisan

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Gene Edward Munnings

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Garrit Scott Pruyt

SheriffNonpartisan

Furlong, Kenneth T.

Kenny Furlong

With almost 25 years in office, Furlong is Carson City’s longest serving sheriff. Prior to his time in office, Furlong was a member of the U.S. Air Force and was employed with the Department of Public Safety, Investigations Division and Parole and Probation.

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Donald Gibson

carson city school board

School Board Trustee, District 1Nonpartisan

Heinz, Adam B.

Adam Heinz

Heinz is the chief operating officer for the Regional Emergency Medical Services Authority Health, the ground emergency medical services provider for Washoe County. He’s a graduate of the district and parent of district students.

Ramirez, Maria "Lupe"

Maria "Lupe" Ramirez

Ramirez, who joined the school board in 2019, worked at Western Nevada College for more than three decades where she helped establish programs for Latino and high achieving students.

School Board Trustee, District 4Nonpartisan

Richard Varner

Richard Varner

Varner joined the board in 2019 and serves as the board’s vice president.

School Board Trustee, District 6Nonpartisan

Walt, Molly

Molly Walt

Walt joined the board in 2023. She’s a former district teacher and Carson City supervisor. Walt, who currently serves as the board’s president, is the CEO of the Nevada Rural Counties Retired and Senior Volunteer Program, which supports seniors and adults with disabilities throughout rural Nevada.