Judge denies Cortez Mato, Democrats’ urgent request to keep Nevada polls open, denied by Judge
LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — A Clark County judge denied Democratic Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto and the campaign working to elect Democrats to the U.S. Senate’s request to extend voting on election night.
Although polls in Nevada were closed at 7 p.m., thousands of people still waited to vote, 8 News Now reported. Nevada law allows anyone who is in line by 7:59 p.m. to cast a vote.
The emergency complaint was filed at 7:15 p.m. and asked for a judge’s permission to keep multiple polling places open until 9 p.m.
“During November 8, 2022, multiple polling locations in Clark County experienced delays and long lines due to polling location running out of printer paper in the ballot printers,” the lawsuit the 8 News Now Investigators obtained said.
These are the allegations in the lawsuit:
- Boulevard Mall: 9 printers out of 25 are not operational, with a 1-hour wait
- Deer Springs Town Center: 12 printers out of 25 are inoperative with a one-hour waiting time
- Nellis: 3 of 25 printers are inoperative, more that a one-hour wait
- Aliente: 5 printers not operational, with a 30-minute waiting time
- Keller: 2 of 16 printers are inoperative with a 50-minute waiting time
- Silverado Ranch Plaza: 6 printers out of 30 are inoperative. There is a 45-minute waiting time
- Walnut Community Center: Two out of 10 printers are inoperative. There is a 25-minute waiting time
- Whitney Recreation Center: 4 printers out of 14 inoperative
Judge Gloria Sturman stated that one polling place was still open at the beginning of the 8 p.m. hearing. She denied the request, saying that there was no way to locate voters who had moved to the polls.
“”Every vote must count, and delays caused by long lines and paper delays should not prevent Nevadans from casting their ballots,” Cortez Masto campaign spokesman Josh Marcus-Blank said in a statement before the ruling.
Cortez Masto will be running against Republican Adam Laxalt for reelection in a close race. The lawsuit does not include any other Democrats.
