Term limit court fight probable

CARSON CITY -- Nevada's top election official on Wednesday challenged a re-election bid by a Washoe County school board trustee, which could trigger a court battle over the state's voter-approved term limits.

Secretary of State Ross Miller said in his challenge letter to Washoe County Registrar Dan Burk that Jonnie Pullman will have served 12 years as trustee by year's end, and under term limits written into the Nevada Constitution a decade ago that's all she can serve.

Pullman, who has served three terms as a school trustee, insists she has the right to run for a fourth term and isn't affected by the term limits mandate.

A Nevada attorney general opinion in 1996 said the effective date of 12-year term limits began when the Nevada Supreme Court certified the election results on Nov. 27, 1996. The opinion was silent on whether the effective date applied to officials who didn't take office until January.

A Nevada Legislative Counsel Bureau opinion concluded state legislators' first terms began with the election of 1998 rather than 1996. Pullman said that should apply to her.

If the case winds up in court, it could move quickly to the Nevada Supreme Court. That's a prospect that many term-limited officials up for re-election this year would like to see.

Eighteen veteran legislators, including Senate Majority Leader Bill Raggio, R-Reno, and Assembly Speaker Barbara Buckley, D-Las Vegas, face final races this year because of term limits. Seven other senators were re-elected for what could be the last time in 2006.

Besides the state lawmakers, the Nevada Association of Counties has noted that many county commissioners, city council members, mayors, town board members and others are affected by the limits.

A Supreme Court petition aimed at voiding term limits wouldn't go unchallenged.