Sisolak stays on Clark County Commission, can pick successor

Gov.-elect Steve Sisolak will stay on the Clark County Commission until the end of the year, meaning he will appoint his replacement to the powerful legislative body.

Nevada law states that vacancies on county commissions are filled by gubernatorial appointment. If Sisolak, who was elected Nov. 6, resigned now, outgoing Gov. Brian Sandoval could name his replacement. But Sisolak spokeswoman Christina Amestoy said he will stay. Sisolak will be sworn in as governor on Jan. 7.

Sisolak has been the county commissioner representing District A since 2009, winning re-election to a four-year term in 2016. Appointees must live in the district — which spans south Las Vegas and Henderson — and belong to the same political party as Sisolak, who is a Democrat.

In addition to the Clark County Commission vacancy left by Sisolak’s election, Nevada has a handful of other open seats. Two state Senate seats — in districts 3 and 11 — are open following the election of Senate Majority Leader Aaron Ford as attorney general and Sen. Tick Segerblom’s election to the Clark County Commission in District E.

The county will collect applications for those seats from registered Democrats who live in the district until Nov. 26. The commission will appoint the replacements to fill out the remainder of their Senate terms on Dec. 4.

County spokesman Dan Kulin said Tuesday that no one had applied for either seat.

But that doesn’t mean people aren’t jockeying to go to Carson City. Some names have been floated, political insiders say: attorneys Nancy Ayala and Alison Brasier, Assemblyman Chris Brooks and Assemblyman Nelson Araujo, who narrowly lost his bid for secretary of state.

A spokeswoman for Ford said he will resign from the Senate next month.

Segerblom said he will resign from the Senate on Nov. 25, meaning he will be unable to vote on his successor because he won’t be seated on the county commission until January. Segerblom said he won’t endorse or recommend a replacement.

“I’ve heard a lot of names that are very good,” he said. “Once they submit their applications, the caucus will look at those and make a recommendation. But it’s the county commission’s decision.”

Elected officials also must fill the Assembly District 36 seat won by Dennis Hof three weeks after his death.

Because the district spans Clark, Lincoln and Nye counties, commissioners from all three counties will meet separately to select a replacement. The commissions will meet jointly on Dec. 7 to select one person.

Although a handful of people have announced their interest, no one has applied, according to officials at all three counties.

“I’m termed out and I’d be interested in serving in the state Assembly,” said Lincoln County Commission Chairman Paul Donohue. “But I don’t live in the district.”

Ex-Assemblyman James Oscarson, who lost the seat to Hof in the June primary, said he might apply for his old job.

“I will make a decision in the next 48 hours,” Oscarson said. “I’ll give people plenty of notice about whether I will participate in that process.”

Applications for all three legislative openings are available at www.ClarkCountyNV.gov.

Contact Ramona Giwargis at rgiwargis@reviewjournal.com or 702-380-4538. Follow @RamonaGiwargis on Twitter.