This previous week offered a number of reminders that Nevada stays on the entrance traces of the Republican Occasion’s struggle over faux voter fraud.

Latest developments take us on a highway journey across the state within the title of a snipe hunt of epic proportions as a few of Nevada’s most conservative counties scrap completely practical voting machines they contemplate suspicious in favor of paper ballots and hand counts. Insert your individual high-gasoline-prices joke right here, and let’s hit the freeway, lets?

First cease, Nye County, the place the county fee continues its remarkably elaborate charade in regards to the impending risks of voter fraud linked to its use of Dominion Voting Programs machines. In March, the fee voted unanimously to scrap the machines regardless of zero proof of poll anomalies — and humiliated Nye County Clerk Sam Merlino within the course of.

However who wanted actual proof when there was such an abundance of the phony form provided by the likes of Massive Lie purveyors Russ Ramsland Jr., Phil Waldron, and Mark Prepare dinner? The gaggle of political prestidigitators, who claimed the machines have been simply hacked, was led by Republican secretary of state candidate and 2020 election conspiracy theorist Jim Marchant.

As an apart, this previous week Marchant crowed about his endorsement by nutty tremendous Trumper and My Pillow Man Mike Lindell. I’d name Marchant a nut, however I’ve already used that phrase to explain Lindell.

Nye County’s inhabitants was 45,514, in line with the 2020 census, so I suppose it’s doable to ultimately hand rely and recount paper ballots even when all 38,500 registered voters turned out. But when the fee doesn’t belief the skilled and skilled county clerk’s workplace and the voting machines, who amongst them would they entrust with counting the votes by hand?

The politics is similar up the highway in Esmeralda County, whose county fee this previous week voted to return to paper ballots. Did I point out that simply 1,030 or so Nevadans stay in Esmeralda County, and it has roughly 630 registered voters?

Maybe the largest shock was that they wanted voting machines in any respect. Looks like a voice vote, a man with a blackboard and a chunk of chalk, or a easy present of palms would have sufficed. However the commissioners fell for the hogwash Marchant was peddling and embraced the Massive Lie.

I’m left to marvel simply how a lot sense it makes to spend hundreds of thousands to enhance web entry within the rural counties when the time-tested telegraph stays an choice.

To her nice credit score, Esmeralda County Clerk and Treasurer LaCinda Elgan confirmed the braveness of her convictions and famous that there have been no issues with the voting machines, which weren’t even related to the web. The one issues that received hacked have been between the county commissioners’ ears.

For Marchant, it was one other huge win over the bogeyman.

“I’m grateful for the chance to current different strategies for guaranteeing the accuracy and transparency of the democratic voting course of to the Commissioners,” Marchant thumped in an announcement after the vote. “The Commissioners have made an informed choice within the spirit of defending the voice of their constituents.”

For many who have fallen for Trump’s Massive Mislead the exclusion of the pesky details, you may belief the “experience” of hucksters however not the character of the very individuals you’ve already entrusted with defending the poll.

Driving on, Lyon County thought of altering its election system primarily based on propaganda, then thought higher of it. The choice to not bounce off the roof introduced cheers from the nonpartisan Let Nevadans Vote coalition and the ACLU of Nevada.

The Lincoln County Fee can also be weighing the rumored evils of the Dominion machines for its 3,200 registered voters. 

Farther north, the Elko County Fee on Wednesday ruminated about returning to paper ballots, however to date has properly chosen to remain the course for its roughly 34,000 registered voters. It makes use of Dominion machines.

In a second that qualifies as downright surreal, Dominion’s pursuits on the assembly in Elko have been represented by former Nevada Gov. Robert Checklist, a senior member of the Republican Occasion.

Somewhat than follow what has apparently been working, Lander County has determined to spend greater than $220,000 to interchange its voting machines with gear from Election Programs & Software program, Voter Registration LLC, apparently within the title of defending its 3,500 registered voters. However that firm has generated its share of controversy, too.

In the meantime, the GOP’s battle towards faux voter fraud continues apace, and the Massive Lie highway present continues.

John L. Smith is an creator and longtime columnist. He was born in Henderson and his household’s Nevada roots return to 1881. His tales have appeared in Time, Readers Digest, The Every day Beast, Reuters, Ruralite and Desert Companion, amongst others. He additionally gives weekly commentary on Nevada Public Radio station KNPR.