A Republican Election Clerk vs. Trump Die-Hards in a World of Lies: Cindy Elgan noticed a sheriff’s deputy at the front counter in her office lobby. “Let’s start a video recording, just in case this goes sideways,” Elgan, 65, advised an Esmeralda County clerk employee. She had grown accustomed to skepticism, conspiracy theories, and threats as an election administrator.
A Republican Election Clerk vs. Trump Die-Hards in a World of Lies
She grabbed her annotated Nevada state law booklet, prayed for patience, and entered the lobby to face the latest election obstacle. Elgan recognized Mary Jane Zakas, 77, a longtime elementary schoolteacher and Republican Party activist, standing next to the deputy. In case of heated discussions, she often requested a sheriff’s deputy at the election office.
Since former President Donald J. Trump lost the 2020 election and his denials and distortions extended from the White House to even the most remote locations, like Esmeralda County, she had anticipated this outcome for three and a half years. Elgan recognized most of the 620 voters and there was no stoplight or high school.
Trump won the county with 82% despite losing Nevada. After the election, some people believed he should have won by more and complained at the county’s monthly commissioner meetings, echoing Trump’s rhetoric.
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They falsely claimed Venezuelan or Chinese election voting software or equipment stole the election. They said George Soros manipulated Nevada voter rolls. “Undercover activists” stole ballots from machines using hot dog tongs, they said. The county has been utilizing Dominion voting machines without issue for 20 years, but they claimed a ballpoint pen could “flip the vote and swing an entire election in five minutes.” They wanted every Esmeralda County vote written and counted by hand.
After Elgan stood up at each meeting to fight and rebut those claims using election rules and facts, they blamed her too—the most unlikely scapegoat. The Republican clerk had served without scandal for two decades and flew a “Trump 2024 — Take America Back” flag at home. However, local Republicans were now calling her “Luciferinda” or the “clerk of the deep state cabal.”
Despite no evidence, they wanted her removed from office before the November presidential election on the grounds that Dominion paid her and stole votes from Trump. “Prophecy says stand your ground and start in your backyard,” Zakas stated. “I’m sorry it happened.” “So am I,” Elgan responded. She returned the recall petition to her office and perused the papers for many days in bewilderment.
She found 130 signatures, which seemed enough to force a recall election assuming the addresses were valid. Nevada gave voters 20 days to reconsider and withdraw their names from the petition. Elgan’s office would next work with the secretary of state to verify signatures and determine if the petition was successful and if Elgan was employed.
