Esmeralda County Clerk Cindy Elgan, a Republican, has for two decades been considered a reliable steward of elections in her small county with a population of less than a thousand. However, in the wake of the heavily contested 2020 presidential election, the trust Elgan's community used to have in her has been overshadowed by allegations that she is somehow complicit in robbing former President Donald Trump of victory in the state, where President Joe Biden won by less than 34,000 votes.
Interestingly, Trump received an overwhelming 82 percent of the vote in Esmeralda County during the previous presidential election.
Mary Jane Zakas, a retired schoolteacher and vocal supporter of efforts to recall Elgan from her position as county clerk, openly expressed her distrust. "I do not trust the results from the 2020 election," she asserted, highlighting a common concern among some conservatives about the use of voting machines instead of paper ballots.
"There are so many ways to cheat," she added, pointing to various supposed vulnerabilities in the voting system. Her words reflect a broader trend of distrust that has taken root since 2020.
Elgan, who knows nearly all of the 600 registered voters in Esmeralda, has witnessed the shift in community sentiment firsthand. Historically, her neighbors seemed satisfied with how elections were conducted. However, the aftermath of the 2020 election has left many questioning the system.
"Some people are very passionate about this, and I can't fault them for that," she explained. "I may not agree with some of their beliefs, but I understand where they're coming from."
Polls indicate more Americans doubt integrity of elections
Polls indicate that more than a third of Americans now harbor doubts about the electoral system's integrity. Claire Woodall from Issue One, a "cross-partisan" research institute, noted that distrust has always existed but became more pronounced after the 2020 election.
"Trump's refusal to concede really solidified the questioning," she remarked. (Related: Texas AG probe finds that bad actors can disguise political donations to interfere with U.S. elections.)
The implications of this skepticism can be severe, particularly in small communities like Goldfield, where election officials face harassment and threats. This environment has forced many dedicated public servants to step down, leaving a void in local election administration. For example, states with narrow election margins, such as Arizona and Nevada, have seen significant turnover among election officials.
Douglas County Clerk-Treasurer Amy Burgans, also a Republican, shared her frustration about the misinformation that often comes from within her own party. "I've only been in this position for four years, yet I'm one of the most senior clerks in the state," she noted. According to Burgans, a significant portion of her time is spent reassuring the public about the safety and security of the voting process.
As cheating allegations continue to swirl and undermine trust in electoral processes, dedicated officials like Elgan and Burgans strive to maintain integrity in their communities. The challenge they face is not just about managing votes; it's about restoring faith in a system that many now question.
Watch this episode of "The Tom Renz Show" as he discusses the ongoing efforts to keep swinging Nevada to the right.
This video is from the TomRenzToo channel on Brighteon.com.
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