In an interview earlier in the week, she recalled “grueling” efforts to ensure the best and most respectful outcome for the victims’ families. It was clear that she felt the weight of history and legacy.

The motion was referred to Clark County District Court Chief Judge Linda Marie Bell, who issued an order requiring that the case be randomly reassigned because of an administrative oversight. Sturman was one of three judges assigned to a special pool of judges to take on emergency election-related cases, but that order expired earlier this month.

Judge Gloria Sturman rejected the request by Election Integrity Project and Angle after a lengthy hearing Friday afternoon, saying that the group’s claims of potential voter fraud fell far short of the required level of evidence needed for a judgement in their favor — throwing out a state law allowing mail-in ballots to be sent to all active registered voters, declaring the 2020 election null and ordering a new election to take place.

Though Marchant’s attorney, Craig Mueller, said he would be comfortable pairing the request for a new election with either a later evidentiary hearing or the transferring of computer records related to mail ballots, Sturman said she was not comfortable issuing such an order both because of jurisdictional concerns — Nevada state law has a separate process for the filing of election contest suits — and because of the basic geography of the congressional district, which spans seven counties.