Race for Town Board loses two candidates

     By Mark Waite
     View staff writer
      The choice of candidates has thinned a little since the filing deadline May 15, but the names of some of those who have dropped out of the race will still be on the Sept. 5 primary ballot.
      Dan Simmons announced he has dropped out of the Pahrump Town Board race and thrown his support to Jim Mutton. Bill Heilker said he was also dropping out, citing time constraints.
      That leaves a field of10 candidates for two openings: Mutton, John Ashcraft, Garrick "Bud" Eyre, Chuck Geshlider, Denise Holmes, Opal Jones, Chuck Patti, Lorrin Peterson, Paul Willis, Jane Wisdom. That list will be pared down to four candidates for the Nov. 7 general election.
      In the race to replace the retiring Red Copass for the Nye County Commission District 5 seat, the five candidates -- David Cleveland, Peter Gazsy, Don Lee, Henry Neth and Wade Peterson -- are all Republicans.
      According to Nevada Revised Statute 293.260, when all candidates are running on the same party ticket, the one who receives more than 50 percent of the vote in the primary will be declared the winner. If somebody doesn't top the 50-percent barrier, there will be a runoff between the top two vote-getters Nov. 7.
      In two more election races, candidates won't have to face incumbents, which proved to be an attractive incentive to a number of hopefuls. Seven candidates are running for justice of the peace to replace Margaret Whitaker, who is retiring after 18 years. Four candidates are vying for a second district judge position created by the last Nevada Legislature.
      After the primary, there will be two justice of the peace candidates left in the running from among Tina Brisebell, Dwight Duncan, Michael Foley, William "Bill" Griffin, Cameron McRae, Sam Mersel and Herman Payne.
      District Judge candidates include Robert Lane, Kirk Vitto, Bob Glennon and Marla Zlotek. Former Mineral County District Attorney Craig Jorgenson of Las Vegas was on a list of those who filed for that position, but in a writ of mandamus issued by the Nevada Secretary of State's office, he was ruled ineligible because he didn't live in the district and his name was removed from the ballot.
      Gary Hollis will duel Keith Markley in the Republican primary race for the District 36 state assembly seat. The winner will move on to the general election and challenge incumbent Roy Neighbors, a Democrat from Tonopah.
      The county clerk's race will pit north vs. south as Daniel James Rourke of Pahrump will face incumbent Sam Merlino of Tonopah in the Democratic primary. Lorena Myers, Rourke's wife and the only Republican candidate, will square off against the winner of that primary in the November general election.