North Las Vegas council race headed for a draw

The North Las Vegas City Council officially approved election results from the April 5 municipal primary during a special meeting Thursday.

That means council hopefuls Tanya Flanagan and Linda Meisenheimer could be one step closer to surrendering the fate of their campaigns to chance -- in the form of a deck of cards.

Flanagan and Meisenheimer tied for second place in the open Ward 2 race, each with 328 votes.

Each candidate has three business days to request a recount, for which she would have to pay $600, according to the city clerk's office.

Only one candidate can advance to the general election to face Pamela Goynes-Brown, an assistant principal who received 425 votes, or 27 percent. The Clark County Registrar of Voters would conduct a recount and confirm the results.

If neither candidate requests a recount, or if recount results remain tied, the winner will be decided "by lot." In Nevada, that means the candidates draw for high card. That could happen as early as April 21.

Flanagan, a web content administrator for Clark County, said she hasn't ruled out a recount.

"I don't think it's the best approach to leave it to a card draw," she said. "It really silences the voters. It doesn't give them a choice to say what they want. It's a light way to approach such a serious decision."

Ideally, all three names would appear on the general election ballot, Flanagan said.

"It's surprising that we're having this happen in a major metropolitan area," she said. "It's something to look at. It sends a message that voting is important."

Meisenheimer, a property manager, said she will not request a recount.

"It's frustrating. We're at a disadvantage, for sure," she said. "I wish it was different. I wish we could do a three-way. Maybe after this they can change it, but I'm a firm believer in what's meant to be will be."

Both candidates agreed the election results send a clear message about the importance of voting.

"If one more person had shown up, it would be a different outcome," Meisenheimer said. "Had you brought a friend or made sure the lady down the street had a ride, it would be a different outcome. Your voice can be heard. It really does matter."

Ties happened twice in Nevada last year, in a Nye County Commission race and a clerk-treasurer election in Eureka County.

Only 6,637 people, or just 9.2 percent of the city's registered active voters, cast votes in the primary election.

In Ward 2, just 1,584 votes were cast.

Contact Downtown and North Las Vegas View reporter Kristi Jourdan at kjourdan@viewnews.com or 383-0492.