Review-Journal reporter Casey Harrison’s 2026 storylines to watch in Henderson

Henderson residents could drastically change the makeup of their City Council in 2026.

Mayor Michelle Romero and Councilwoman Carrie Cox each come into the new year seeking re-election for their respective roles on the five-member council. And although the mayor and councilwoman are running in separate races, they are also allied with the only challengers in their rival’s race.

The two incumbents don’t get along. In January, Romero threatened legal action against Cox, accusing Cox of spreading “spurious rumors” about a purported extramarital affair. Cox denied defaming the mayor.

Cox, who in November was also accused of recording a private conversation involving fellow Councilwoman Monica Larson and was then censured by her City Council colleagues, is defending her seat against Nevada State Board of Education appointee Annette Dawson Owens. Owens’ campaign has already been endorsed by Romero and the other three members of the City Council: Larson and councilmen Jim Seebock and Dan Shaw.

Romero, meanwhile, is being challenged by Hollie Chadwick, the former chief of the Henderson Police Department and friend of Cox who was fired in March.

“I believe that the residents of Henderson should be given reason to trust our elected officials, and that tone is set in the office of the mayor,” Chadwick said while announcing her mayoral bid in May. “Trust begins and ends with truth and transparency, and it is clear that we currently lack both.”

“No matter who joins this race, my commitment to serving as Mayor, and leading our city into the future will not be deterred,” Romero said in a statement after Chadwick’s announcement.

The two high-profile races are among the Henderson storylines the Las Vegas Review-Journal will be watching in 2026.

Will anyone else run?

Whether or not Chadwick or Dawson Owens could upset the incumbents of their respective races could also depend on whether other challengers join the race.

The official candidate filing period runs from March 2 through March 13, according to the city’s website.

The city’s primary election is June 9, though early voting runs from May 23 to June 5. Voting for the November election ends Nov. 3, with early voting running from Oct. 17 to Oct. 30.

According to state law, a candidate running for a nonpartisan office such as mayor or city council can win their election outright if they receive a majority of the votes cast in the primary.

Romero, for example, won her term in 2022 after a convincing victory in the city’s mayoral primary. She received nearly 76 percent of the 57,152 votes cast and bypassed the November general election because of the overwhelming support of voters.

And while Chadwick’s supporters turned out by the dozen to City Council meetings in February and March to voice concerns that city leaders weren’t being transparent in answering why Chadwick was placed on administrative leave and ultimately fired, it remains to be seen whether this support will be enough to unseat Romero.

Cox case looms

Cox is balancing her re-election bid with her ongoing criminal case related to the alleged surreptitious recording of Larson during an exchange at Henderson City Hall in January 2025. She has pleaded not guilty and a jury trial is scheduled for October.

While Romero, as well as Larson, have called on Cox to resign, Cox said that’s not going to happen.

“Carrie Cox is not stepping down,” said Cox campaign consultant Lisa Mayo-DeRiso said in a text message in November. “The voters who elected her will decide.”

The campaign to unseat Cox is Dawson Owens’ second attempt at a political office. In 2024, she lost a bid to join the Nevada Assembly to Democrat Joe Dalia by a little under 1,500 votes, or about 4.3 percentage points.

“I am excited to listen to our neighbors and work with them to continue building on the quality of life our Henderson residents and businesses currently enjoy,” Dawson Owens said in a statement in June when she announced her run to challenge Cox for the Ward III council seat.

While Chadwick and Dawson Owens aim to differentiate themselves from their opponents, much campaigning is left to be done and much is still left to be determined.

One thing, though, feels for certain: campaign season feels like it’s in full swing, at least in Henderson.

Contact Casey Harrison at charrison@reviewjournal.com. Follow @Casey_Harrison1 on X.