Nye County will not restrict election observers after a lawsuit settlement with the American Civil Liberties Union of Nevada.
“Nye County agreeing to a settlement here ensures a more transparent election process,” ACLU of Nevada Executive Director Athar Haseebullah said. “This agreement reinforces that voters and election observers, regardless of their political affiliation, have the right to freely observe our elections. Removing unnecessary observation restrictions was the right thing to do for Nye County residents.”
The agreement ensures that no restrictions will be imposed on observers based on party affiliation if there is sufficient space to accommodate them, the relief sought by the ACLU of Nevada when it filed suit months ago, the civil rights organization said on Monday in an announcement.
The organization filed the complaint after the Nye County Clerk’s office blocked one of its nonpartisan observers during February’s presidential preference primary, the ACLU said.
“The County’s decision to settle with us saves taxpayers money since we would have prevailed in court but also ensures the County’s reputation improves after the last few years when the County became a national embarrassment based on the actions of wacky conspiracy theorists and corrupt politicians who assumed control of the County’s most important functions,” Haseebullah said.
The organization, which described the decision as a “win for election transparency,” said it will ensure all Nevadans will have the opportunity to observe the process next week.
“The ability of individuals, regardless of their partisan affiliation, to observe elections is a cornerstone of a healthy democracy,” said Haseebullah, in a news release.
ACLU attorney Sadmira Ramic added, “By removing these barriers on poll observers, we are sending a clear message that no Nevadan’s right to observe the election should be restricted based on political beliefs.”
Nye County did not immediately respond to a message seeking comment.
Contact Ricardo Torres-Cortez at rtorres@reviewjournal.com.