Clark County’s top election official retiring, commissioners to select successor

LAS VEGAS, Nev. (FOX5) - With the 2022 election all wrapped up, Clark County is starting its search for a new top election official.

After 13 years as the Registrar of Voters, Joe Gloria is retiring from the county. Gloria said he is stepping away after 28 years to start a new chapter.

Gloria became a familiar face on TV screens around the country in 2020, while also being a target of threats as conspiracy theories stemming from false election claims that ran rampant.

Gloria told the Associated Press protesters stood 100 feet from his office, some carrying weapons, as he and his staff counted ballots. The registrar of voters said he received threatening emails including some that said, “we know where you live.”

Now the longtime election official will take his skills to the National Association of Election Officials, where he plans to provide election training and advocacy as the C.E.O. of operations.

“He’s really just been such a rock for elections here in southern Nevada,” Clark County Commissioner Justin Jones said. “I think we’ve been really a beacon to many other jurisdictions around the country in terms of setting out a process and following through with the process that was set out from day one. I think we’ve proven you can have free and fair elections.”

As the largest county in the state, the registrar of voters is the top non-partisan election position in Nevada.

Political expert and UNLV professor Michael Green said this integral position is likely more important than ever.

“It’s going to be very important to get someone who is experienced in this area, and whose integrity is beyond reproach,” Green said.

Nevada will be the second state in the nation to vote in the 2024 primaries, and Jones said they’ll be looking internally and outside the election office to find the right successor.

“We’ll definitely have all eyes on Nevada in 2024, and so we want to make sure it’s someone who has communication skills, can talk to the media and communicate exactly what is going on,” Jones said. “So that the public can really understand exactly what is going on and can have trust in the results.”

The county manager will identify qualified candidates who will then be interviewed by commissioners. Then commissioners will vote in their top choice in January or February, according to Jones.

Gloria will officially retire from the county in January.

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