Ford pleased by judge’s rejection of election motion

Nevada Attorney General Aaron Ford on Friday released a statement after Clark County District Judge Gloria Sturman denied a request for an emergency injunction that would have prevented Secretary of State Barbara Cegavske from certifying the results of the general election.

At the heart of the petition was the alleged unconstitutionality of Assembly Bill 4, which provided for mail-in ballots to every registered voter in Nevada.

That was passed in a special legislative session after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued guidance in advance of election day encouraging mail-in voting methods to minimize direct contact between voters and election workers and reduce crowding at polling stations.

The emergency injunction sought to enjoin the presidential electors from casting their votes for president and vice president when the Electoral College meets Dec. 12 and prevent any Nevada candidate from taking office.

Instead, the plaintiffs sought a new election. Sturman held an expedited hearing Friday and denied the plaintiffs’ request, ruling that the plaintiffs failed to show a likelihood of success on the merits of the case.

“An attempt to throw out the entire election and the legal votes of hundreds of thousands of Nevadans without legal justification undermines our election process and our democracy,” Ford said.

“Assembly Bill 4 was enacted because of the coronavirus pandemic and proved to be successful in allowing thousands of citizens to vote and limit their potential exposure to the virus.

“All evidence shows that Nevada’s election was fair, safe and secure, and time and again, the Court has agreed. Nevadans voted and chose their president-elect. It’s time to move on.”

This is one of several election-related lawsuits filed by Sharron Angle and the Election Integrity Project.

The plaintiffs filed a similar lawsuit on Sept. 4 to prevent the election from taking place under Assembly Bill 4. That suit failed at both the District Court level and the Nevada Supreme Court.