Over the past two election cycles, Carson City voters have experienced a growing and worrisome pattern of ballot errors and omissions, with ballots listing candidates under the wrong party and including inaccurate return information in one instance, and candidates left off the ballot entirely in another. Following this most recent incident, the non-partisan Center for Election Confidence has stepped up to offer its assistance as Carson City officials work to develop a long-term plan to prevent recurrence.

“Administering an election can be complicated, yet the Clerk-Recorder’s office has a straightforward but vital responsibility when preparing ballots—ensuring that all ballots are drafted and printed correctly”, said Caleb Hays, Chief Policy Counsel at the non-profit Center for Election Confidence (CEC). “As a recognized key civil society group, CEC is offering its expert advice to Carson City as officials work to prevent this pattern from growing.”

The Center for Election Confidence is a non-partisan, non-profit organization dedicated to advancing the role of ethics, integrity, and legal professionalism in the electoral process, including safeguarding the right of eligible voters to vote. It has previously offered its expert advice to municipalities—including in Pennsylvania and Wisconsin—where voters have experienced similar ballot issues.

In 2024, Carson City election officials incorrectly listed an Independent American Party candidate as a Democrat, causing the city to issue new official mail-in ballots to voters. During that same election cycle, sample ballots and ballot materials listed ballot drop-off and voting locations that did not exist. Last month, several qualified candidates were left off ballots, including Carson City Clerk-Recorder Scott Hoen.

“While mistakes can happen, it is important not only to resolve the issue for the current election, but also to examine and reform processes to prevent recurrence. One incident is an error; more than one incident, unfortunately, demonstrates a pattern, requiring immediate action to prevent lingering damage to voters’ confidence”, Hays continued.

CEC sent a letter to Carson City officials, including Mayor Lori Bagwell, Clerk-Recorder Scott Hoen, Chief Deputy Clerk of Elections Shauna Bakkedahl, and the city Supervisors, detailing its offer to assist officials with developing processes and procedures to avoid further missteps in the upcoming November elections. A copy of the correspondence is linked below. 

“We want every eligible citizen to make their voice heard by casting a ballot in American elections,” concluded Hays. “But we also want those voters to have confidence that our electoral system has the appropriate safeguards to ensure each ballot reflects the complete and accurate list of candidates for all offices.”