The Term Limit Question Back in Court: Candidate Mantle Explains, Rival Brekhus Responds
While many voters have already sent their ballots in ahead of the June 14th primary voting day, mayoral candidate William Mantle is appealing a ruling that allowed councilwoman Jenny Brekhus to pursue her campaign for Reno’s top elected seat.
He says her 2020 election victory as councilwoman already takes her to 12 years of elected service by 2024, and he would like the Nevada Supreme Court to clarify once and for all what our local term limits mean. Mantle said he was “flabbergasted” by the early May decision by Washoe County Second Judicial Court Judge Connie Steinheimer, which is why he decided to file the appeal.
Brekhus wrote a reaction email about this to Our Town Reno stating: “My legal team and I feel the lower court ruling was correct and we are going to ask the Court if they take on the case, to hear it in an expedited manner. While I respect every ones’ rights to petition the courts, it is becoming increasingly clear that Mr. Mantle who filed this appeal on the last day of the appeal period is not running much [of] a campaign for himself to be Mayor but one against my candidacy. If he is so concerned about the constitutionality of this issue one would think that he would also challenge the incumbent Mayor’s eligibility as the two of us started on the Council the same day in 2012. His approach of taking this election into another courtroom is risky business because elections belong with voters not judges.”
Contacted by phone, Mantle said Mayor Schieve’s situation is different since she’s only ten years into service now, and is seeking a new election victory, before she’s already slated into a full three terms.
He said Brekhus using the “elections belong to voter and not judges” line is “extremely dangerous rhetoric,” in this instance, and “a populist speaking point,” when our elections are governed by law.
Mantle said the Brekhus team wants to now rush the legal process, since he’s working alone on this, without legal help, and that he went as fast as he could.
In another recent media interview, Brekhus cast more doubt over Mantle’s seriousness in running for mayor. Mantle also disputes those comments, saying that after finishing fourth in 2018, he ramped up his campaign this go round, speaking at candidate forums, canvassing in neighborhoods, and attending every single city cleanup. Her attacks, he said, are more indicative “about her character than about mine.”
For those who may have forgotten, a legal challenge by another current candidate Eddie Lorton eliminated former councilwoman Jessica Sferrazza and councilman Dwight Dortch from the 2014 mayoral ballot, which paved the way for Schieve’s victory with Sferrazza’s backing. At that point in time, the Nevada Supreme Court ruled Reno City Council members who have served 12 years cannot run for mayor.
Our main story this week was a profile of a tattoo artist depicting harassment and misogyny in the local scene.
We also featured local lawyer Louis Bubala, putting in work to save wilderness around us.
Our podcast episode this week is with the OG of #sheroesofreno Wendy Wiglesworth and how she’s now helping others in the community become better at outreach with the unhoused.
Our social media post with the most traction across our channels was an #ourtownreno TikTok What Do You Do for a Living? Reno edition:
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