Election debate season opens Tuesday

Election debate season formally starts on Tuesday when the Good Governance Group hosts District 1 County Commissioner Danny Tarkanian and challenger Jim McKalip at the COD Casino in Minden.

Tarkanian is up first at noon with McKalip speaking at 12:45 p.m.

That will be the drill over the rest of the month, with Commissioner Mark Gardner and challenger Mike Tanner talking on April 23. Challenger Dean Paris declined to participate, according to the group.

On April 30, Janet Freixas and Nathan Tolbert are scheduled to talk to the group. Cost is $5 per person and includes a beverage.

The Town Hall Debate hosted by the Business Council of Douglas County, the Carson Valley Chamber of Commerce, The Tahoe Chamber, and The Record-Courier is set for May 15.

Doors at the Douglas County Community & Senior Center open to the public at 5 p.m. and candidates may bring campaign materials ahead of time.

All county commissioner and school board trustee candidates are invited to participate, according to organizer and Business Council Executive Director Renea Louie.

Only two of the school board races are contested with trustee Doug Englekirk seeking re-election against challenger Erinn Miller. Antoinette Marie Casselberry and Melinda Gneiting are seeking to fill Trustee Linda Gilkerson’s seat.

All seven Republicans for county commissioner will appear on the ballot in the June primary election. Because Nevada has a closed primary system, the District 3 and 5 seats will be decided in the primary. Whomever wins the race between Tarkanian and McKalip will go onto the general election where they will face Democrat Jason Garrett Gibson and nonpartisan Brian Dempsy.