Henderson elects new Ward 1 council member

Jim Seebock will be Henderson’s new Ward 1 councilman, unofficial election results showed Thursday.

Seebock, who works as an assistant sheriff for the Metropolitan Police Department, won the city’s special election with 26.1 percent of the vote, or 1,940 ballots out of nearly 7,500 cast. His closest competitor was Aaron Johnson, a Boulder City police commander, with 20.1 percent, or 1,543 votes.

The special election was held to fill a vacancy on the City Council created when Michelle Romero was elected mayor. It was Henderson’s first special election to fill a vacancy on the council, the city’s first ward-only election and first special election with mail-in ballots. Only Ward 1 residents could vote in the election as a result of a ballot measure passed last year.

Mail-in ballots were the most popular way to vote in the special election: More than 5,600 of the ballots that came in were sent via mail instead of cast in person at City Hall during early voting or on Election Day.

Fewer than 100 ballots remain. Those with mismatched or missing signatures are waiting for voters to verify them by Monday’s deadline.

Seebock thanked God, his family, friends, campaign staff, supporters, Gov. Joe Lombardo and Clark County Sheriff Kevin McMahill in a statement released Friday. He also outlined his campaign priorities and promised to fulfill them.

“I ran on a platform that focused on community safety, strategic growth, neighborhood preservation and education,” Seebock said in the statement. “I promise to fulfill my campaign promises and serve with transparency and accessibility.”

Public safety, growth and helping the homeless population were priorities Seebock outlined early in his campaign. He supports breaking Henderson off from the Clark County School District, which he said would help the city’s schools. Seebock also vowed openness with the public and press, provided he was properly informed on what he would be talking about.

Seebock was the most well-funded candidate in the Ward 1 race, according to campaign finance reports provided to the secretary of state. His campaign raised more than $111,000 in monetary and in-kind contributions. Romeo Development LLC was his largest donor, with $10,000 in two $5,000 installments.

The two candidates that most closely trailed Seebock in the polls were also the closest in fundraising, according to the secretary of state’s website. Johnson came in second and netted $89,735 from campaign contributions, while former Assemblywoman Melissa Woodbury received 1,508 votes and raised $100,500 in contributions.

Seebock recognized his competitors in the election, saying that he hopes to work with them in the future.

“It takes a love of community to run for office and I hope to work with all of you in the betterment of our ward,” Seebock said. “Now it’s time to go to work.”

Contact Mark Credico at mcredico@reviewjournal.com. Follow him on Twitter @MarkCredicoII.