Nevada Revised Statutes 293C.186 – Written challenges concerning qualifications of candidates; enforcement in preelection actions
1. After a person files a declaration of candidacy to be a candidate for an office, and not later than 5 days after the last day the person may withdraw his or her candidacy pursuant to NRS 293C.195, an elector may file with the city clerk a written challenge of the person on the grounds that the person fails to meet any qualification required for the office pursuant to the Constitution or laws of this State. Before accepting the challenge from the elector, the filing officer shall notify the elector that if the challenge is found by a court to be frivolous, the elector may be required to pay the reasonable attorney’s fees and court costs of the person who is being challenged.
Terms Used In Nevada Revised Statutes 293C.186
- Affidavit: A written statement of facts confirmed by the oath of the party making it, before a notary or officer having authority to administer oaths.
- Evidence: Information presented in testimony or in documents that is used to persuade the fact finder (judge or jury) to decide the case for one side or the other.
- Jurisdiction: (1) The legal authority of a court to hear and decide a case. Concurrent jurisdiction exists when two courts have simultaneous responsibility for the same case. (2) The geographic area over which the court has authority to decide cases.
- person: means a natural person, any form of business or social organization and any other nongovernmental legal entity including, but not limited to, a corporation, partnership, association, trust or unincorporated organization. See Nevada Revised Statutes 0.039
- Probable cause: A reasonable ground for belief that the offender violated a specific law.
2. A challenge filed pursuant to subsection 1 must:
(a) Indicate each qualification the person fails to meet;
(b) Have attached all documentation and evidence supporting the challenge; and
(c) Be in the form of an affidavit, signed by the elector under penalty of perjury.
3. Upon receipt of a challenge pursuant to subsection 1, the city clerk shall immediately transmit the challenge to the city attorney.
4. If the city attorney determines that probable cause exists to support the challenge, the city attorney shall, not later than 5 working days after receiving the challenge, petition a court of competent jurisdiction to order the person to appear before the court. Upon receipt of such a petition, the court shall enter an order directing the person to appear before the court at a hearing, at a time and place to be fixed by the court in the order, to show cause why the challenge is not valid. A certified copy of the order must be served upon the person. The court shall give priority to such proceedings over all other matters pending with the court, except for criminal proceedings.
5. If, at the hearing, the court determines by a preponderance of the evidence that the challenge is valid or that the person otherwise fails to meet any qualification required for the office pursuant to the Constitution or laws of this State, or if the person fails to appear at the hearing, the person is subject to the provisions of NRS 293.2045.
6. If, at the hearing, the court determines that the challenge is frivolous, the court may order the elector who filed the challenge to pay the reasonable attorney’s fees and court costs of the person who was challenged.