Candidates Night 2014

In less than a month, voters will have decided their representatives from local and statewide races and if various proposals passed or failed including several major initiatives Nevada.

With that being said, another eye will be focused on key U.S. Senate races as voters wonder if the Democrats will retain their grip of the Senate or if the Republicans will grab at least six seats to take control.

Locally, this year’s political races have been low key with very little negative advertising or barbs. Because of the number of unopposed candidates, voters should have clear sailing when they cast their votes beginning with early voting that opens on Saturday to the Nov. 4 general election.

The Lahontan Valley News will conduct its 2014 Candidates’ Night one week from today at the Fallon Convention Center beginning at 6 p.m. In addition to meeting unopposed candidates, attendees will have an opportunity to ask questions of those candidates entered in contested races such as recorder, school board, sheriff and the Mosquito, Vector and Weed (noxious) Board. Although the sheriff’s race will attract questions about each candidate’s philosophies, concerned residents, however, want to know how the school board candidates feel about Common Core, their role as school board members and safety in the schools.

The Lahontan Valley News will ask several questions to begin the night based on our coverage of the various government boards. We are also soliciting questions from the public that pertain to the individuals running for the specifically contested offices.

Additionally, a group of concerned citizens want to discuss the effects of the Education Tax Initiative on small and large businesses in Nevada and how many prominent lawmakers, union officials and school personnel across the state are not in favor of this measure. Also on the ballot is a measure to add a Court of Appeals because the case load has become too slow and ineffective for the Nevada Supreme Court due to the state’s increased number of court cases.

Locally, voters will be asked to approve additional funding for equipment for the Fallon/Churchill Fire Department.

This year’s Candidates’ Night will not have the fireworks of previous ones, but the event gives voters an opportunity to hear and meet candidates.

Editorials from the LVN Editorial Board appear on Wednesdays.