Mark Kampf announces bid for Nye County Clerk’s seat

The 2022 primary election may still be more than seven months away but candidates are already starting to declare their intention to run for certain offices in the coming election cycle, including Pahrump resident Mark Kampf, who recently announced his candidacy for the Nye County clerk’s seat.

This particular race will be wide open in 2022 as longtime Nye County Clerk Sam Merlino has decided to forgo another re-election bid. Instead, Merlino is set to finish out her current term of office before stepping down to spend more time with her family.

“I have been in the clerk’s office since January of 1994 and the clerk since January of 2000 so it is time to let someone else take over,” Merlino told the Pahrump Valley Times when reached for confirmation regarding her pending retirement. “It is tough to make another four-year commitment. I have an elderly mother who needs help and four grandkids I want to spend time with.”

It seems that Merlino’s decision to retire was a lynch pin for Kampf, who remarked that with Merlino set to vacate the office in January 2023, a strong leader will be needed to ensure that operations run smoothly once she is gone.

“The attacks on our constitutional republic over the last several years have inspired me to run for Nye County clerk as the best way to give back service to my country and my community,” Kampf stated. “With the impending retirement of our valued Nye County clerk, there is a great need to fill that position with someone who will continue to serve our voters and our Fifth Judicial District Court system with integrity, honesty and experience. This position is too important to leave to anyone but someone who has the experience and drive to serve the citizens of Nye County with honor.”

Kampf comes with a plethora of career experience, with a press release detailing that he had spent decades working within some of the world’s largest companies, helping to improve internal controls and streamline processes. He made his first foray into the world of a working adult at Coopers and Lybrand CPAs, earning a license as a certified public accountant in the state of Ohio. Following this, Kampf moved on to British Petroleum where he was able to progress through the ranks to become the controller of BP Alaska. Kampf then spent time working for Apex Analytix, where he became the director of Audit Operations Americas before finally retiring.

Now, Kampf is turning to the public service sector in the hopes of having the constituents of Nye County vote him in as the next Nye County clerk, with the press release noting, “Seeing the need to serve his community and continue the excellent service provided by our current Nye County clerk, Mark decided to come out of retirement to answer the call of duty.”

Kampf will be running on the Republican ticket but he was quick to note that as clerk, he will take his duty to the voters seriously, no matter their own political affiliation.

“The stresses placed on our election system due to the new laws and regulations require leadership and determination to ensure that all Nye County residents have the confidence that their vote will count in full, regardless of party or political affiliation,” Kampf said. “I will apply my proven analytical skills and solutions approach to ensuring the Nye County voter registration records are effectively updated and maintained. In Nye County, as the the rest of our nation, protecting the chain of custody for each ballot is essential to maintaining voter confidence and ultimately, our constitutional republic.”

Being the Nye County clerk isn’t just about managing local elections, however. The clerk has another major responsibility as well and it relates directly back to the safety of the community, serving the Fifth Judicial District Court. This was something that Kampf also touched on in his announcement on his run for office, remarking, “The impact of COVID-19 and its economic effects caused a spike in crime that puts a strain on our district court system. The resulting increase in demand on the Nye County Clerk’s Office to maintain court records requires effective process management and problem-solving skills to continue to allow these teams to meet those challenges.”

The 2022 primary election is set for Tuesday, June 14, with early voting set to run from Saturday, May 28 to Friday, June 10. The official filing period for those seeking nonjudicial elected offices opens March 7, 2022 and closes March 19, 2022.

For more information on Kampf email him directly at mark@markkampfnv.com

Contact reporter Robin Hebrock at rhebrock@pvtimes.com