When is the Nevada Ethics Commission’s Candidates Briefing?

When it comes to sitting public officials running for re-election or election to another office, there are all kinds of rules one must follow and when those rules are not adhered to, the Nevada Commission on Ethics (NCOE) is often asked to step in. However, as NCOE Executive Director Ross Armstrong noted, it’s far better for the commission to educate candidates beforehand and help prevent any such problems from arising in the first place.

“The commission focuses on education and outreach as part of its statutory duties,” Armstrong remarked in a press release issued this month. “We would much rather invest time in prevention and answer questions from public officials proactively than to have to process complaints where a public official has strayed from the law.”

To that end, the NCOE is getting ahead of the 2026 election cycle by offering two informational outlets for those planning to campaign, a compliance guide and an online briefing session with the commission this September.

“With campaign season heating up, the Nevada Commission on Ethics is providing more resources to public officials running for elected office,” the NCOE announced. “The commission’s new Campaign Season Compliance Resources Guide lists the do’s and don’ts of official government action and campaigns and includes examples from recent ethics commission advisory and complaint cases.”

The compliance resources guide is a three-page reference sheet that provides an overview of some of the situations and questions most commonly encountered during election cycles.

For instance, those who are running for re-election or another office may wish to endorse a certain candidate or ballot measure, which can lead to ethics violations if not done correctly. Candidates must make it “abundantly clear” that their endorsement is personal and not in their official capacity, the resources guide states, adding, “Avoid endorsements that appear to be coming from your government office or suggest the agency itself supports the candidate or measure.”

“Can I wear campaign gear at work?” and “How do I avoid ethics violations while campaigning on social media?” are two other questions addressed in the resources guide, along with “Can I host a campaign event at a government building?” and “My supervisor asked me to help with campaign activities. Isn’t that against the law?”

The guide goes on to list a variety of NCOE cases and opinions that candidates may also find helpful as they prepare for their bid for re-election.

Even with this overview of common inquiries readily available, many public officials intending to seek re-election next year may still have questions about proper campaign practices, so the NCOE will be holding an online session via Zoom.

“In addition to the new compliance resources, the commission will be hosting a Candidates and Campaigns Virtual Briefing on Sept. 9 at 12:15 p.m.,” the NCOE stated. “The briefing will cover campaigns and ethics compliance basics to assist public officials in avoiding ethics trouble in 2026.”

To register for the upcoming Candidates and Campaigns Virtual Briefing visit tinyurl.com/3sbd4mw7

The Campaign Season Compliance Resources Guide can be found at tinyurl.com/287puymd

Contact reporter Robin Hebrock at rhebrock@pvtimes.com

A previous version of this story incorrectly stated the date of the Virtual Briefing.