Nevada Supreme Court elections, 2006-2010

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2010 election

See also: Nevada judicial elections, 2010

The following justices were re-elected to the Nevada Supreme Court after running unopposed:

• James Hardesty (Seat A)
• Ron Parraguirre (Seat E)

2008 election

Two Nevada Supreme Court seats (Seats B and D) were up for grabs in the 2008 general election. The primary election to narrow the field for Seat B to the top two vote-getters was August 12, 2008. The general election was November 4, 2008. All six candidates ran as non-partisans, per Nevada elections law. Terms on the court run for six years.,

2008 election results

• For seat B, Kris Pickering was the winner, taking 353,841 votes (42%) as compared to Deborah Schumacher who received 329,090 votes (39%). Fully 159,715 voters (19%) chose a candidate other than the two listed on the ballot.

• For seat D, Mark Gibbons won with 456,467 votes (55%) while Thomas Christensen received 210,092 votes, or 25% ("None of these candidates" yielded 166,188 votes, or 20%).

August 2008 primary results

For Seat B, the seat of retiring Supreme Court Justice A. William Maupin, the results of the election with 100% of precincts reporting are as follows:

Name	Party	Votes	Vote %
Mary "Kris" Pickering	Non-partisan	45,971	25%
Deborah Schumacher	Non-partisan	42,879	24%
Don Chairez	Non-partisan	40,560	22%
Nancy Allf	Non-partisan	39,706	22%
None of the above	Non-partisan	12,142	7%

As the top two Primary vote-getters, Mary "Kris" Pickering will face Deborah Schumacher at the runoff election to determine who will fill Seat B on the Supreme Court.

The contest for Seat D

Chief Justice Mark Gibbons seeks re-election against challenger Thomas Christensen in Seat D, while former Chief Justice William Maupin is retiring.

• Mark Gibbons is seeking re-election, and has been endorsed by Veterans In Politics International.
• Thomas Christensen, a Las Vegas attorney, is challenging Gibbons' seat. Christensen says that his run for Nevada's highest court was inspired by the court's decision in Guinn v. Legislature, a 2003 decision in which the court overruled a requirement that tax increases pass the legislature with a 2/3 majority. In its controversial decision, the court allowed what critics call an unapproved $800 million tax increase for school funding. The court should decide cases "based on the Constitution, statute and precedent", not based on a political agenda, Christensen has said.

The contest for Seat B

Four candidates squared off in the state's August 12th primary election for the vacated "seat B". Two are remaining, and although elections are considered non-partisan,

• Mary "Kris" Pickering is identified with the Republican Party. Pickering is currently a Settlement Judge for the Nevada Supreme Court; 28 years with Nevada's trial and appellate courts. She has been endorsed by Veterans In Politics International.

• Deborah Schumacher is identified with the Democratic Party. Schumacher is currently a judge on the Washoe County Family Court.,

Politics in Nevada Supreme Court races

Gibbons v. Christensen

Chief Justice Mark Gibbons is being challenged by Thomas Frank Christensen, who criticizes Gibbons over a 2003 decision that "set aside a state constitutional provision requiring a two-thirds vote in the Legislature to raise taxes." Gibbons concedes the decision five years ago that landed the court in the middle of a budget standoff between then Governor Kenny Guinn and the 2003 Legislature was a mistake. In that decision, justices said the Legislature's constitutional mandate to fund education took priority over another constitutional provision adopted by voters that requires a two-thirds majority in the Legislature to raise taxes. "The Supreme Court jumped into it and 12 days later made a ruling," Gibbons said. "We probably should have had oral arguments. We rushed it out, and it just wasn't legally sound," he said. Because of this, Gibbons supported the overturn of the decision.

Christensen thinks Gibbons should be removed from the Court for this decision. "It's the procedure to get there that is an example of not using the law to come to a decision. It was a political decision," Christensen said. Christensen also thinks that the court does not issue enough published opinions that set legal precedent. "It's not that unpublished opinions are improper per se," Christensen said. "But the way our court uses them I think is an abuse. They use them in cases where they are reversing things, and it would be helpful to set precedent." Gibbons agreed with Christensen's assertion, but added that because the court's caseload is so large that having an appeals court would "reduce caseload and allow for more published opinions." Christensen does not agree with the creation of an appeals court.

Pickering v. Schumacher

Deborah Schumacher and Kris Pickering are vying for Seat B on the Nevada Supreme Court. Because Pickering spoke at a political rally in Carson City for Republican Vice Presidential nominee Sarah Palin, Schumacher questioned how appropriate it was considering the judicial canons that say judges must remain impartial, and cannot endorse other candidates. Schumacher said, "The issue for me isn't a partisan issue." In response, Pickering called the criticism a "desperate campaign ploy." "It really isn't newsworthy that, in this state where we have elected judges, a political candidate speaks at a political gathering," spokesman Ryan Erwin said. Pickering defended her appearance at the Palin rally. She said she addressed Carson City Democrats two weeks before it and she accepts all invitations to speak.

Campaign contributions

According to a story in The Mercury News, four Supreme Court candidates have made six-figure investments in the race for the high Court prior to the primary election. Those still in the race have the following contributions:

• Kris Pickering leads all candidates in fundraising, reporting contributions of $556,229 (of which personal funds were $360,000). As of October 10, 2008, Pickering's contributions increased to $573,160. Washoe County Family Court Judge Deborah Schumacher lists $317,740 in contributions (including $150,000 of her own money).

• Mark Gibbons raised, as of October 10, 2008, $330,045, while Thomas Christensen has raised $10,050.

2006 elections

• Justice Michael Cherry won 74.99% of the vote.
• Justice Nancy Saitta beat her opponent Nancy Becker, with 46.55% of the vote over Becker's 37.84%.
• Justice Michael Douglas won 48.39% of the vote, his opponent, Cynthia "Dianne" Steel, won 36.23% of the vote.

For the complete summary by total votes, and the breakdown by city, visit 2006 Official Statewide General Election Results.

For the 2006 Reno Gazette-Journal Voter Guide, click here.

Candidates eliminated in the primary

• Nancy Allf for Supreme Court
• Don Chairez for Supreme Court

External links

• Justice out-raises opponent in election
• Harmful Error, website that covers the Nevada Supreme court
• Supreme Court Petition Filed to Limit Fundraising
• Supreme Court Issues Rules Limiting Judicial Fundraising
• Maupin's seat is the race to watch
• Nevada Election Calendar
• Supreme Court upholds term limits
• Candidates for Judicial Posts
• 2006 General Election Results
• Reno Gazette-Journal 2006 Voter Guide
• Supreme Court Issues Rules Limiting Judicial Fundraising
• Schumacher, Pickering seek open seat
• Las Vegas Sun
• Palin rally becomes issue in Nevada judicial race

References