2012 PRIMARY ELECTION: MOAPA VALLEY JUSTICE OF THE PEACE

Two private attorneys are seeking to oust the 25-year incumbent in the race to be the next Moapa Valley justice of the peace.

Tony Terry and Renee Mancino are running against longtime Justice of the Peace Lanny Waite. The top two vote-getters in the June 12 primary will square off in the general election in November.

Both Terry and Mancino believe the community wants a change, as illustrated by Waite's 23-vote victory over a residential police officer in his last election.

Waite, a University of Puget Sound law school graduate, said the narrow victory in his last election was because of the popularity of his opponent and his wife in the community.

He denied that the election was a referendum on his tenure as a judge. The incumbent said he knows his opponents are making an issue of it, "but this is a completely different election."

"You can't fool people very long in a small community," Waite said. "I believe that my life, having been on open display, will speak for itself."

Waite said he remains most proud of treating everyone with respect. According to Waite, a decline in DUI incidents and repeat offenders in Moapa Valley are because of his tough sentencing.

He said over the years he has also tried different approaches to sentencing defendants. One of his techniques is to offer defendants a chance to stay out of jail if they remove themselves from the community for three years. He said he has done that in about 15 cases.

Waite reminded voters that he has 700 hours of training as a judge.

"Change isn't always for the better. And when you are talking about judges that becomes even more critical," Waite said.

Terry said he offers a wealth of experience. He has been a practicing attorney for 35 years and has served as chairman and vice chairman of the town board, a prosecutor, Mesquite city attorney and defense lawyer.

"There is dissatisfaction within the community with Lanny Waite," Terry said.

He said the dissatisfaction comes from how people are treated in the courtroom.

"I'm offering the community a qualified choice," Terry said.

A University of Utah law school graduate, Terry said if elected he will conduct a "fair and proper" court.

He said he was tough as a prosecutor, yet fair.

"I intend to be the same as a judge. If they've been a troublemaker I will look at them with a jaundiced eye," he said.

Mancino, who has been in private practice since 2004, pointed to her experience as a certified mediator and arbitrator.

She said the main issue of the race is whether the incumbent runs a fair and impartial court. Mancino said the community believes Wait doesn't "even handily apply the law among all cases."

Mancino, a University of Nevada, Las Vegas law school graduate, said both of her opponents seem to be "segueing to retirement" through a judgeship.

"It's a soft spot to land prior to retirement," Mancino said.

If elected Mancino said her goal would be to represent the community's values. "I would rehabilitate when possible and stop recidivism."

Mancino also added a financial argument that voters should consider. If the incumbent is re-elected, he will earn $88,000 a year in salary, she said. A newly elected judge would earn about $14,000 less annually.

Contact reporter Francis McCabe at fmccabe@reviewjournal.com or 702-380-1039.