Washoe County interim Registrar of Voters Cari-Ann Burgess will be taking a leave of absence ahead of the November general election after experiencing “stress related health issues.”

Washoe County spokespeople confirmed the leave to The Nevada Independent on Wednesday, just six weeks before Election Day. 

“[Burgess] has requested a leave of absence for self-care,” county spokesperson George Guthrie wrote in a statement. “We are committed to the health and well-being of Ms. Burgess and running a smooth and fair election is a top priority for the County.” 

County officials wrote in the statement that the registrar of voters’ office is “prepared and confident” for the upcoming election. They did not address questions about who would fill Burgess’ leadership role as interim registrar of voters.

But Guthrie said the registrar’s office consists of more than one person, and that Deputy Registrar of Voters Andrew McDonald and other experienced team members are already stepping up to fill the role.

Burgess is the third registrar in a little more than two years to leave the role. She replaced Jamie Rodriguez, who announced her resignation Jan. 2. Rodriguez said that the long hours were one reason she left the position after little more than a year full-time.

“I have given everything to this position and felt that I needed to leave to allow myself a work/life balance and to be able to see family and friends again, which I have had little ability to do over the last 2 years,” Rodriguez wrote to The Nevada Independent in an email shortly after her resignation.

Rodriguez herself was an interim registrar, filling in for her predecessor, Deanna Spikula, who also noted the lack of work-life balance and increased harassment of election officials as her reasons for leaving the role after 15 years.

The news of Burgess’ leave of absence comes after the swing county made national headlines following the Washoe County Commission’s refusal to certify the results of a primary election recount. Commissioners later reversed the decision and certified the results. 

County officials also faced criticism for sending ballots to voters who had opted out of mail voting and misprinting ballots, which led to $178,000 in reprint costs.

Republican Washoe County Commissioner Mike Clark blamed the high turnover in the county’s registrar of voters office on management and said the announcement of Burgess’ leave is “embarrassing” for the county.

“We're a laughingstock,” Clark told The Nevada Independent. “The rest of the world is looking at Washoe County and saying, ‘What's wrong with those hicks?’ There are so many folks in the city of Reno that were offended by that TV show, Reno 911. It was a spoof … and now we're living up to it.”

Clark’s speculation that management is the problem aligns with his long-standing vocal criticism of Washoe County Manager Eric Brown, who was one of the key figures behind Clark's ban from county offices for harassment when Clark was serving as the county’s assessor. 

Clark and Republican County Commissioner Jeanne Herman voted not to confirm Burgess as interim registrar of voters, have repeatedly voted not to certify election results and publicly questioned the integrity of the election process.

Clark has been backed by far-right activist Robert Beadles. Beadles has targeted and sought to oust Brown and other Washoe County officials in lawsuits, falsely claiming the county’s voting process skewed election results. The lawsuit was later dismissed with prejudice, meaning it can’t be refiled.

The Nevada Secretary of State’s Office said in a statement that it does not comment on county personnel issues.

“Our office fully supports the Washoe County Manager's and Registrar's Offices and we are working closely with them for the successful administration of the 2024 General Election,” spokesperson Cecilia Heston wrote in an email.

This story was last updated on 9/25/2024 at 4:48 p.m. to include statements from the Nevada Secretary of State’s office, Republican Commissioner Mike Clark and spokespeople from the Washoe County Commission.