County opts for selection, not election, to replace Tahoe Township Justice of the Peace

With three elections set in 2024, Douglas County commissioners instructed staff to come up with a process to find a new Tahoe Township Justice of the Peace that didn’t entail holding a fourth.

Human Resources Director Wendy Lang said Clerk-Treasurer Amy Burgans told her a special election to fill the seat could cost between $130,000-$150,000 that would have to come out of the county budget.

The actual process has yet to be developed, but Commissioner Wes Rice, who once served as a bailiff in the Tahoe court, suggested there were several qualified people who would be interested.

Tahoe Tahoeship Justice of the Peace Richard Glasson is Douglas County’s longest serving judge, having taken office in 2001. He was elected without opposition in 2018 and his term would end in 2024.

He said he plans to retire from the bench on Oct. 5 or sooner, according to Lang.

Glasson has been talking about retiring for a few years but stayed on through the coronavirus outbreak in order to keep things steady.

First elected in 2000, he is only the fourth person to serve in the seat since the township’s creation in 1947.

It has been a year since the death of East Fork Justice of the Peace Cassandra Jones died in office and East Fork Constable Paul Gilbert was appointed to fill out her term. Gilbert’s appointment was done without a call for applicants. He told the commission he doesn’t plan on seeking election to the seat.

It has been 13 years since Justice of the Peace Tom Perkins was selected after a process that saw three-dozen people apply. Perkins served until Jones’ election.

Filing for judicial offices is Jan. 2-12, 2024, which means whoever is appointed will only have 3-4 months before having to file for election next year. It will be the first time in the 21^st Century that both Douglas justice of the peace seats are up for election.

Depending on how many people file for the election, there could be a primary to winnow the total down, but unless someone receive 50 percent plus 1 of the total vote, it will go to the general election in November.