OPINION: Voters Deserve Better Verification of A Candidate’s Credentials And Background

Running for governor doesn’t require a background check, but working for the governor does.

In the past couple of years, I’ve spoken with hundreds of voters in Nevada and more than 90 percent of them believe that background checks are conducted on political candidates. This is not true.

Not only are candidates rarely required to have a background check, but once elected, only a few undergo additional scrutiny. If an investigation reveals concerning information, the Assembly could begin an impeachment process that would be tried in the State Senate, according to the Nevada Constitution. But any action from that process ultimately depends on the political makeup of our elected bodies.

When a candidate files to run for office, you might assume that, at the very least, their address is verified. This is confirmed by the voter rolls, if they’re registered to vote, or their government-issued ID. Candidates are not required to be registered voters. For member of Congress, the U.S. Constitution does not permit states to require background checks for elected representatives.

What happens if a candidate does not live within the district they’re running to represent? According to Jamie Rodriguez, the former Washoe County Registrar of Voters, it is called to the candidate’s attention, but the Registrar has “no authority to deny anyone the right to file.” 

Did you get that? This means it is up to the voters or the opposition to know that candidates are who they say they are and live where they say they live.

It’s not an easy task to make well-thought-out decisions about choosing candidates for public office. The school board is often the point of entry for people to enter politics. Sometimes candidates are not only new to politics, they’re also new to the community. Without verification of qualifications from the Registrar of Voters or the Secretary of State, how can you be sure who untested candidates really are? At least with incumbents, you have their record to make informed decisions.

According to Ballotpedia, recalls rarely work. Lawsuits? Even if successful, the process is not often a reasonable remedy as litigation is long and costly. So, voters are left waiting until the next election, and in the case of U.S. Senators, that is six years! This is why voters need to know who candidates really are, before an election takes place.

Get accurate information. Don’t rely on just one source for your information. Don’t buy into the slanderous allegations levied against candidates, unless you can get substantiating information. Trust, but verify. There are background checks available and verification can be done, via new legislation or ordinances, but it will take political will or a candidate to provide Nevada voters with additional transparency.

We voters deserve to know that candidates are who they say they are, at least with a resume verification and a criminal records check. Candidates may be reluctant to disclose the results of a background check, but in a recent poll by Transparency In Politics, 97 percent of voters said they’d be more likely to vote for a candidate who was willing to share their background check.