RENO, Nev. — The manager of a crucial swing county in northern Nevada has taken a medical leave of absence just days ahead of the upcoming election.
Washoe County has been in the spotlight lately due to significant changes within its elections office. With the announcement of Manager Eric Brown’s departure, county operations related to both elections and general governance will now be managed by deputies during what is anticipated to be a tightly contested election in this politically pivotal area.
On Tuesday, the county confirmed that Brown is out for a planned medical procedure, and he is not expected to return until late November. Assistant County Manager Dave Solaro will temporarily take over the responsibilities until Brown’s return.
Officials from the county are working to ease any worries regarding how the staff changes might impact operations in Nevada’s second-largest county. County spokeswoman Bethany Drysdale noted that Solaro had previously acted as the interim manager for several months before Brown’s appointment in 2019 and has been part of county operations for over 20 years.
“(Solaro) joins the rest of the county team in wishing Manager Brown well and is ready to handle the responsibilities during this brief period,” she stated in an email.
Recently, the county revealed that Registrar Cari-Ann Burgess sought medical leave due to stress but later claimed she was pushed out after resisting staffing changes proposed by Brown’s office. Despite her requests to remain, supported by a doctor’s note affirming her health, she has since engaged a lawyer for potential action.
Currently leading the office is Burgess’s deputy, marking a record of five individuals in four years managing the election operations. This high turnover reflects the county’s polarized political landscape, which has faced a surge of election conspiracy theories following Republican Donald Trump’s defeat in the 2020 election to Democrat Joe Biden.
The county insists it remains committed to ensuring a smooth and fair election process.
George Guthrie, a spokesperson for the Registrar of Voters office, mentioned in an interview prior to the announcement of Brown’s medical leave that staff appeared to be in good spirits and fully dedicated to their work.
“Election time is go-time for us. This is our Superbowl. The primary is the playoffs,” Guthrie said. “Our team is focused, putting in long hours, including 12-hour days and weekends.”