Top election official in Nevada county that is key to the presidential race takes stress leave

RENO, Nev. (AP) — The top election official in a northern Nevada county key to winning the presidential battleground state is taking a stress-related leave of absence with just over a month to go before Election Day, creating a sense of uncertainty about election operations in a county that has been under near constant attack from election conspiracy theorists.

The announcement from Washoe County interim Registrar of Voters Cari-Ann Burgess is the latest high-level change to roil the elections office. A previous registrar resigned in 2022 after she received numerous threats and the replacement abruptly left a month before this year’s presidential primary season, thrusting Burgess into the spot in January.

Burgess’ duties will now be reassigned as the office prepares to send out mail ballots and gets ready for the start of early voting.

“She experienced stress issues and requested medical leave,” Washoe County spokeswoman Bethany Drysdale said Friday.

She said Burgess’ leave took effect Thursday and that county officials did not know whether she would return before the election.

Drysdale said there had been no documented threats against Burgess and the elections office, but she acknowledged the workplace was “a stressful environment” and that Burgess and the office had been targeted by negative comments. Drysdale didn’t offer specifics.

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