By james art 
When the late Senator Harry Reid asked me to leave my beloved state to serve on the Federal Election Commission (FEC) in Washington, it was one of the great honors of my career.
To leave the land my family has called home since 1861. ever, it wasn’t an easy decision for this Nevada cowboy. But the opportunity to serve my country and grapple with the ever-changing landscape of campaign finance rules and regulations was a dream come true.
During my 16-year tenure in the District of Columbia, my respect for the importance of the rule of law and its fragility underscored every case we investigated and convicted. Without it, the freedoms we enjoy living in a democracy are threatened or perhaps even worse.
I am now retired and live near my son’s ranch, just outside of Yerington. I like it here, but I’m restless.
As Election Day approaches, I am deeply troubled by the devastating impact of the bitter and false attacks on our election, not only on our state, but on our country. The onslaught of misinformation and outright lies has eroded people’s faith in the system our forefathers shed their blood to give us.
I have been an attorney in Reno for most of my adult life and have served as president of the Nevada State Bar. So I am very familiar with our election processes here in Nevada.
I can tell you without fear of controversy, our elections are safe, bipartisan, fair and administered with integrity by our neighbors, your fellow Nevadans, who are simply doing their civic duty.
You may ask why I can say this with such confidence. That’s because Nevada’s election system is supported by a strict set of checks and balances. Here are the facts:
- Election officials conduct security checks before Election Day and post-election audits, each overseen by officials from both parties.
- Voting machines are rigorously tested before elections.
- Election officials cross-check voter registrations with state and federal databases to ensure that only voters are registered and that only U.S. citizens are voting.
- Nevada voters can review their ballot for accuracy before submitting it for a count.
- Observers from across the political spectrum administer our elections at polling stations throughout the process.
- Mailed ballots are secure, with mandatory security envelopes with a unique barcode to ensure each voter submits only one ballot and so voters can track their ballots to ensure they have been received.
So take it from your old former Reno Rodeo chairman: Vote with confidence on or before Election Day. And when you do, do so with the knowledge that your vote is being counted fairly and accurately.
We have the safest elections in the world, the very byproduct of America’s enduring democracy. I’m grateful I hope you are too.
Steve Walter served as Vice Chairman and Commissioner of the Federal Election Commission and is a past president of the Nevada State Bar Association. He was born in Reno.