Newcomers, political veterans running for office in North Las Vegas

Political novices Gary Bouchard and De’Quincy Taylor will try to oust North Las Mayor John Lee, who is seeking a second four-year term.

In the race for Ward 1, Councilman Isaac Barron is running against Hector Rivera, a political organizer who worked last year on Bernie Sanders’ presidential campaign.

And in Ward 3, Councilwoman Anita Wood faces several opponents as she seeks a third term, with challenges coming from former Clark County Commissioner Tom Collins, retired police lieutenant Wilson Crespo, youth pastor Ender Austin III and self-employed businessman Scott Black.

With North Las Vegas finally pulling itself away from a financial cliff, Nevada’s fourth-most populous city has positioned itself as a hub for new businesses and housing developments at the northern end as efforts continue to renovate downtown and older neighborhoods to the south. However, some issues remain including the hiring of additional police officers, repairing neglected roads and extending the operating hours for recreation centers and parks across North Las Vegas.

Early voting for the April 4 primary begins Saturday and runs through March 31. Any candidate who draws more than 50 percent of votes will claim victory then. Otherwise, the top two vote-getters advance to the general election June 13.