Petition for town board ballot question gaining ground
Whether residents are in favor of or opposed to the idea of reestablishing a town board form of government in Pahrump, it appears they will get their chance to voice their opinion on the matter in the 2026 general election. The petition to put this question to the voters is gaining ground and those behind it say they feel confident that their efforts will ultimately bear fruit.
“The number of signatures needed to put the question on the ballot is on track. I’m very optimistic that it will be on the ballot and I think people need to start looking at that as a reality,” longtime resident and former Pahrump Town Board member Dr. Tom Waters stated earlier this month. “At the Fall Festival, we got a lot of signatures, people were coming to us in droves to sign the petition.”
The town board form of government in Pahrump was abolished via a 2012 ballot measure in which approximately 14,300 voters took part. The decision was a narrow one, with 7,294 votes for disbanding the town board and 7,063 against, a different of just 231 votes. That vote was legally challenged by town officials at the time and went all the way to the Nevada Supreme Court, which upheld the vote in 2014. The town board was officially dissolved as of January 2015.
Ten years have passed since the dissolution and many things have changed, including an increase in both development and population. Many community members believe that with these changes comes a need for more localized governance but others have asserted that the Nye County Commission, which currently oversees the town, is perfectly capable of continuing to govern. With opinions so divided, Waters and the Pahrump Town Board Committee are seeking to give voters the opportunity to decide for themselves.
The notice of intent for the petition was filed on August 2 at the Nye County Clerk’s Office, with residents Beth Borysewich, Tina Bond-Kuglin, Cecelia Thomas, Michelle Caird and Carl “Ski” Censke providing the five registered voter signatures necessary to get it started.
To have the ballot question cleared for the 2026 election, the Pahrump Town Board Committee will have to gather 15% of the number of Pahrump voters who took part in the last general election. Waters said that’s roughly 3,600 signatures, although the group is aiming to surpass this, so the committee is working to get the petition out in area businesses where voters can easily find it.
The town board ballot question petition will be available at Port of Subs, 150 S. Highway 160, suite C-6 in the Albertsons shopping plaza from noon to 4 p.m. on Monday, Oct. 20, 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 26 and noon to 4 p.m. on Monday, Oct. 27.
Petitions will also be available at 2nd Amendment Guns and Range, 1360 E. Basin Avenue, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 1 and Saturday, Nov. 8.
“Please understand that businesses are not necessarily endorsing the town board,” Waters emphasized. “They are merely encouraging everyone to vote by placing the question on the ballot.”
The Pahrump Town Board Committee is still looking for additional members and donations to support its efforts, which are now tax-deductible. For more information on the petition or to get involved, contact Borysewich at the Pahrump Town Board Committee Facebook page or email TownMail@mail.com
Contact reporter Robin Hebrock at rhebrock@pvtimes.com
