A software mapping error that prevented 881 Fallon Ward 1 residents from receiving ballots in the June 9 city election has forced a special election and invalidated the original results, city and county officials announced last week.
The Fallon City Council voted unanimously on June 18 during a special meeting to reject certification of the Ward 1 election and schedule a new election for July 21 after county officials determined hundreds of eligible voters were assigned to the wrong precinct and never received the city council contest on their ballots.
The issue was also before the Churchill County Board of Commissioners on June 17, when commissioners canvassed the June 9 primary election and reviewed the ballot assignment error affecting 881 Fallon voters.
Churchill County Clerk-Treasurer Linda Rothery told city officials the error stemmed from a failed update within Nevada's statewide election management system, known as Total Vote.
“The voters have trusted me in conducting elections with integrity and transparency, and I've always given 200% to making the election process as accurate and smooth as possible,” Rothery said. “Because of this situation, the only remedy was to have a special election for the Fallon City Council Ward 1 race.”
According to county officials, staff updated ward and precinct boundary maps within the system but failed to complete a required step that would have transferred those changes into voter registration records. As a result, 881 Ward 1 voters were incorrectly assigned to Precinct 2 rather than Precinct 1 and did not receive ballots containing the Ward 1 race.
The issue surfaced June 8 when a voter reported that the council race was missing from their ballot. An investigation determined the problem affected hundreds of voters and could not be corrected after ballots had already been distributed and voting was underway.
Rothery accepted responsibility for the mistake.
“My street files were updated, and my voter registration file was not,” she said. “Therefore, nothing changed for all 881 voters.”
County officials had encountered a related discrepancy during the March candidate filing period, when Ward 1 candidate Lori Norcutt was incorrectly identified as residing in Ward 3. City staff alerted election officials, and the street file was corrected. However, the voter registration records were not updated.
An emergency meeting involving the Secretary of State's Office, county staff, and city officials was held June 8 after the problem was discovered. By that time, early voting had concluded and mail ballots had been in circulation for weeks.
Mayor Ken Tedford said responsibility should not rest solely with the county clerk's office, noting that Nevada's election administration system now involves multiple levels of oversight.
“Though you're falling on your sword here, I don't think that's fair,” Tedford told Rothery. “There's a process where the Secretary of State should enter here.”
Under Nevada Revised Statute 293C.710, a city election must be repeated when voters are prevented from participating because of an election error. Rothery submitted the required affidavit June 12, and candidate Ryan Swirczek formally requested a new election the following day.
City Attorney Trent deBraga advised the council that state law required the city to order a new election once both documents were received.
“NRS 293C.710 mandates that the governing body shall order a new election upon receipt of both documents,” deBraga said.
The special election will be held July 21 and will feature the same three candidates: Lori Norcutt, Ryan Swirczek, and Daniel Doty.
Before the election was voided, Norcutt led the race with 161 votes, or 53%, followed by Swirczek with 110 votes, or 36%, and Doty with 32 votes, or 10%.
Officials later determined those results represented only a portion of the electorate. While 315 of 1,308 registered Ward 1 voters cast ballots, the true Ward 1 electorate totaled approximately 2,189 voters when the 881 omitted residents were included.
All eligible Ward 1 voters, including the previously omitted residents, will be allowed to participate in the July 21 election.
Key election dates include:
• Sample ballots distributed in late June
• Mail ballots sent by July 6
• Early voting July 17 from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
• Early voting July 18 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
• Election Day voting July 21 from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. at 155 N. Taylor St.
Rothery said all affected voter records have been manually corrected and verified. She also told county commissioners that planning is underway for the special election and that additional auditing procedures will be implemented to identify discrepancies between street files and voter registration records.
“This was a hit to me personally,” Rothery said. “We follow the law, we process everything carefully, and to have a missed step like this, it was a hard hit.”
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Ward 1 Special Election At a Glance
Election Date: July 21, 2026
Race: Fallon City Council Ward 1
Candidates:
- Lori Norcutt
- Ryan Swirczek
- Daniel Doty
Why a New Election?
A software mapping error prevented 881 eligible Ward 1 voters from receiving ballots containing the city council race during the June 9 election.
June 9 Results (Voided):
- Lori Norcutt: 161 votes (53%)
- Ryan Swirczek: 110 votes (36%)
- Daniel Doty: 32 votes (10%)
Important Dates:
- Sample ballots: Late June
- Mail ballots: July 6
- Early voting: July 17, 8 a.m.-6 p.m.
- Early voting: July 18, 10 a.m.-2 p.m.
- Election Day: July 21, 7 a.m.-7 p.m.
Polling Location:
Churchill County Administrative Complex
155 N. Taylor St.
Fallon
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