Primary Election Day – Tuesday, April 2, 2019
*General Election Day – Tuesday, June 11, 2019
All seats open for filing in the 2019 cycle have a 4-year term:
City of Las Vegas municipal elections are held every two years, in odd-numbered years. The elections are open and nonpartisan. Therefore, candidate party affiliations will not be shown on the ballot and only properly registered voters within the city will vote for offices on their ballots regardless of party affiliation. Elections are held in accordance with NRS 293C and the City Charter.
*Per Charter, if in the Primary Election one candidate receives more than a majority of votes cast in that election for the office for which he or she is a candidate, he or she must be declared elected and no General City Election need be held for that office. If no candidate receives a majority of votes for a particular race in the Primary, the names of the two candidates receiving the highest number of votes must be placed on the ballot for the General City Election.
The city of Las Vegas was incorporated on June 1, 1911, and until 1944, operated under a "commission" form of government with each commissioner having administrative control over certain operating departments of the city. Since Jan. 1, 1944, the city of Las Vegas has operated under what is commonly known as a "council/manager" form of government. This form of government was approved by a vote of the people with subsequent Las Vegas City Charter adoption by the Legislature. Until 1975, the voters of the city elected the mayor and four city councilmen. A vote of the people in June of 1973 approved a City Charter amendment dividing the city into four wards. This allowed the mayor to be elected at large and each councilman to be elected by the voters of his or her own ward. The City Charter amendment was subsequently adopted by the Legislature with the first election by ward held in 1975. The elected officials chose to use the title "commissioner" until 1983 when a new City Charter approved by the Legislature changed their title to "councilman."
The citizens elect the mayor, six council members who comprise the City Council, and six Municipal Court Judges. Terms for the Mayor and Council are four years, with elections staggered every two years, with staggered six-year terms for the Municipal Court Judges.
The City Council, including the mayor, is the governing body of the city and exercises legislative power by enacting ordinances, resolutions, orders and other policies necessary for the management and execution of the powers vested in the city through the City Charter. Among other things, the City Council is empowered to:
A single Municipal Court judge presided until 1969 when the City Commission appointed an additional judge for Department 2. In 1975, by ordinance, Department 3 was established with Department 4 being added in 1977. To further serve our growing community, the City Council created Departments 5 and 6 in 1989 and 1991 respectively.
The citizens elect the judges at large by department number. Each judge presides over his or her respective department. In 2001, the Nevada State Legislature increased the judicial terms from four to six years.
The qualifications for Municipal Court judge are:
Each candidate for MAYOR shall be a qualified elector* who has actually**, as opposed to constructively, resided within the boundaries of the city which he/she desires to represent for a period of not less than 30 days immediately prior to the last day for filing a Declaration of Candidacy. The mayor shall be elected by the registered voters of the City at large.
Each candidate for COUNCILMAN shall be a qualified elector* who has actually**, as opposed to constructively, resided within the ward which he/she desires to represent for a period of not less than 30 days immediately prior to the last day for filing a Declaration of Candidacy. Each City Councilman shall be elected by the registered voters of the ward in which he/she is a candidate.
*A qualified elector is a citizen of the United States, 18 years of age or older, who satisfied any residency requirement for this election and is not otherwise disqualified by reason of a treason or felony conviction or insanity, unless their civil rights have been restored by a court of competent jurisdiction. Please note that if, upon receipt of credible evidence indicating that a candidate has been convicted of a felony and has not had his civil rights restored by a court of competent jurisdiction, filing officers may pursue removing the individual from the ballot (NRS 293C.185). **“Actual residence” is defined in NRS 281.050 as the place where a person is legally domiciled and maintains a permanent habitation. If the person maintains more than one such habitation, the place the person declares to be his or her principal permanent habitation when filing a declaration pursuant to NRS 293C.185 shall be deemed to be the person’s actual residence.
If at 5 p.m. on the last day for filing a Declaration of Candidacy, there is only one candidate for any office, that candidate must be declared elected and no Primary or General City Election may be held for that office (NRS 293C.180). Elected officials shall qualify and enter upon the discharge of their respective duties on the day of the first regular meeting of the City Council next succeeding the meeting at which the canvass of the returns is made (City Charter 5.100).
Per NRS, Candidate Filing for the 2019 Municipal Elections shall be held from Tuesday, Jan. 22 through Friday, Feb. 1 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., excluding Saturdays and Sundays at the Office of the City Clerk located at City Hall, 495 S. Main St., Las Vegas Nevada. No appointment is necessary. Please bring:
1 - $100 filing fee payable by cash, check or credit card
2 - Identification by one of the following: a valid driver’s license or identification card issued by a governmental agency that contains a photograph of the candidate and the candidate’s address; or a current utility bill, bank statement, paycheck, or document issued by a governmental entity, including a check, which indicates the candidate’s name and residential address.
3 – Filing packet (Optional) – During your filing, you will be provided a packet containing forms, instructions and general information necessary to comply with the requirements of Las Vegas City Charter, Las Vegas Municipal Code, and Nevada Revised Statutes. (NRS 293C.185) These forms must be completed as part of your filing. If you wish to print out the forms prior to filing, they will be available on this page by Jan. 15, 2018.
Do I live in the City of Las Vegas city limits? (Having “Las Vegas” in your mailing address does not guarantee it!)
Check quickly using our Find Your Ward service.
Am I registered to vote?
Verify your voter registration status by contacting the Clark County Election Department at
702-455-VOTE, or verify online by clicking RegisterToVoteNV.gov.
Are Municipal Elections held with Federal, State and County Elections?
No. Municipal Elections in the valley are held during odd years, every two years. Federal, State and County Elections are held in even years. People commonly think all elections in the valley are held together but that is not the case. If you are unsure, call the City Clerk’s Office at 702-229-6311 for clarification. For more information on the Federal, State and County elections, contact the Clark County Election Department at 702-455-VOTE, or online at http://www.clarkcountynv.gov/depts/election.
What offices are decided in the Municipal Elections?
The citizens elect the mayor, six council members who comprise the City Council, and six Municipal Court Judges. Terms for the City Council are four years, with elections staggered every two years and staggered six-year terms for the Municipal Court Judges. In the 2019 Elections, seats are up for the Office of the Mayor and the Council Seats for Wards 1, 3 and 5.
Where can I find historical information on previous elections?
The city of Las Vegas maintains a database where you can search by election year, specific seat race or candidate name. See the Election Records Search by clicking here.
Verify your voter registration status as active by contacting the Clark County Election Department at
702-455-VOTE, or check online at the Secretary of State’s Office at RegisterToVoteNV.gov.
Where can I register to Vote?
Online: If you have a Nevada Driver’s License or State Issued Identification Card, the State of Nevada has created an online page where you can register to vote. You can also use this portal to update your address, change your party and more RegisterToVoteNV.gov.
In Person: Any Department of Motor Vehicles Office, or any Nevada State Welfare Agency or WIC Office.
City of Las Vegas Office of the City Clerk 495 S. Main St., 2nd Floor
Las Vegas, Nevada 89101
Clark County Election Department 965 Trade Drive, Suite A North Las Vegas, NV
Clark County Election Department Office Clark County Government Center, First Floor, Suite 1113 500 South Grand Central Parkway, Las Vegas