Trotter, Richardson file for Justice of the Peace

Two candidates including incumbent Ben Trotter have filed for justice of the peace for the New River Township Justice Court.

Dr. Stuart Richardson, who has lived in Fallon for 43 years, filed last week.

Justice of the Peace is a nonpartisan office, and candidates must file at the Churchill County Clerk’s office on 155 N. Taylor St., by the end of business on Friday. Candidate filing dates for nonjudicial offices is March 4-15.

Trotter will be seeking his second six-year term for justice of the peace. Prior to the 2018 election, Trotter served two terms as Churchill County sheriff.

The former Fallon police officer first ran for sheriff in 2010 and was re-elected in 2014. Trotter previously told the Lahontan Valley News when he first filed for justice of the peace he wanted to seek out ways to make procedures work better and implement the changes to make it happen.

Trotter, 51, holds an associate degree in general studies and another in criminal justice, a bachelor’s degree in finance and a master’s in business administration (MBA), both from Governor’s College. He previously worked for the Fallon Police Dept., for 15 years.

The 72-year-old Richardson said he’s ready for a new challenge, and if elected, he would remain in practice several days a week taking care of his regular patients.

Richardson arrived in Fallon in the early 1980s after spending one year in Paris, France doing research. He was born and grew up in northern Maine near the Canadian border. Richardson earned his bachelor’s degree in biochemistry from McGill University in Montreal, Canada and a credential in teaching mathematics and science from the University of Maine at Orono. 

According to Richardson, he also earned a law degree from the Concord School of Law in Los Angles, Calif. His focus was on transitional law which included wills and estates.

In 2015, Richardson bought the Fallon Theatre in order to main local ownership and to keep it from closing.  He spent months preparing the application to have the state approve the theater for nonprofit status as Fallon Community Theatre. With the state’s approval, the nonprofit organization was able to purchase the theater from Richardson.

According to Nevada Revised Statue 4.010, “In addition to any other requirement provided by law or a court rule, a justice of the peace who is not licensed or admitted to practice law in the courts of this State at the time of his or her election or appointment must pass an examination prescribed by the Nevada Supreme Court within 18 months after taking the official oath. The examination must test the competency of the examinee's knowledge on subject matters related to the duties of a justice of the peace.”

Two Candidates Nights co-sponsored by the Fallon Post, Lahontan Valley News and Churchill County Republicans will be held in May and October prior to early voting. Candidates seeking local offices, school board, Assembly District 38 and the Board of Regents District 9 will be invited to attend.

CHURCHILL COUNTY CAUCUS

The Republican Party of Nevada will hold its local Presidential Caucus and annual precinct meeting in Fallon on Feb. 8 from 5 to 7:30 p.m.

Individuals must be registered as Republicans at least 30 days (no later than Jan. 8) prior to the caucus to be qualified to participate; there are no exceptions and no same-day registration.

The Nevada GOP has recently created a process for people with disabilities to obtain an absentee ballot which includes filling out an affidavit with a Photo ID. Contact the local Republicans Party for information at 775-750-3739.

Churchill County has one location for caucusing: The Rafter 3C meeting room at 277 Sheckler Road. You may participate in the Presidential Preference Primary conducted Feb. 6 and the Republican Caucus Feb. 8. You must have a valid Nevada state form of ID to participate in the caucus. You may not use a driver Privilege ID to vote in the caucus.

NEVADA PRESIDENTIAL PREFERENCE PRIMARY

• Election Day: 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Feb. 6 at the Fallon Convention Center or Fallon Paiute-Shoshone Tribe Community Learning Center.

• Regular last day of voter registration by person (Churchill County Clerk-Treasurer’s Office) or mail: Jan. 9

• Deadline to update existing voter registration: Jan. 10-23 at https://registertovote.nv.gov/.

• Same-day registration is allowed in-person at polling location with a valid Nevada driver’s license or ID card. Complete rules: https://www.nvsos.gov/sos/elections/election-information/same-day-registration.

• Early voting at the Churchill County Commission Chambers: Jan. 27 to Feb. 2. Saturday early voting will be 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. will also be at the Fallon Paiute-Shoshone Community Learning Center. Weekday early voting will be from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.

• Mail ballots: Ballots must be postmarked on or before Feb. 6 and received at the Churchill County Elections Office no later than four days after election day, which is Feb. 10. Deadline for ballot curing (voters with signature issues will be contacted) is 5 p.m. Feb. 12. Ballots can be dropped off at the Clerk- Treasurer’s Office (155 N. Taylor St.) during polling hours. Other drop-off box locations at the city of Fallon’s clerk’s office, 55 W. Williams St., and the FPST Administration Building. The Clerk-Treasurer will post voter turnout daily, and individual ballot tracking can be set up at https://nevada.ballottrax.net/voter/.

• (Note: If a voter receives a ballot that is not theirs, the Clerk- Treasurer’s Office is asking them to put a line through addressed ballot and mark return to sender or return the ballot in-person to 155 N. Taylor St. Ballots should not be shredded or thrown away).

Democrat candidates appearing on Feb. 6 ballot (some candidates may have dropped out since filing):

• Biden, Jr., Joseph R.

• Cornejo, Gabriel

• Crystalroc, Superpayaseria

• Foutz, Brent

• Haywood, John

• Leon, Stephen Alan

• Lozada, Frank “Frankie”

• Lyons, Stephen

• Palmer, Jason Michael

• Perez-Serrato, Armando “Mando”

• Picard, Donald

• Prascak, Mark

• Williamson, Marianne

• None of these candidates

Republican candidates to appear on Feb. 6 ballot (some candidates may have dropped out since filing):

• Castro, John

• Fulkerson, Heath

• Haley, Nikki R.

• Kjornes, Donald

• Pence, Mike

• Scott, Tim

• Singh, Hirsh V.

• None of these candidates