Four advance to council general election

James Howard Adams

Claudia Bridges

Peggy Leavitt

Rich Shuman

City Councilwoman Peggy earned the most votes in Tuesday’s primary and will continue on to the municipal election in June along with Claudia Bridges, James Howard Adams and fellow Councilman Rich Shuman.

None of the candidates earned enough votes to win the election outright.

Leavitt received 1,639 votes, followed by Bridges with 1,138, Adams with 1,103 and Shuman with 999. According to the Clark County Election Department, almost 34% of the registered voters in Boulder City voted in the primary.

Leavitt came the closest to being elected in the primary, falling 120 votes short of the 1,759 needed to obtain the number of votes equal to the majority of the voters who came to the polls, according City Clerk Lorene Krumm.

The vote count remains unofficial until the City Council meeting Tuesday, April 9, when the primary will be canvassed.

“I think it went pretty well. … I think it’s been good for all of us to get to know each other,” Leavitt said about the campaign.

“I think it’s been fantastic. … I’ve really enjoyed the process so far,” Bridges said. “I love Boulder City.”

Adams said he was excited to be moving forward to the general election.

“I felt good going into it, but I had no idea what would happen. … It really sank in when I saw the results,” he said.

Additionally, he said he was pleased with the voter turnout.

“It’s good for Boulder City, and it’s good for democracy,” he added.

“I’m very proud to be through the primary and I’m excited to connect with voters in the general election,” Shuman said.

In moving forward with their campaigns, Leavitt and Adams said they plan to continue what they were doing for the primary.

Leavitt said she will still meet with residents and talk to them by going door to door, being at the credit union and holding meet and greet events.

“I’ll continue to run the race,” she said.

Adams said the process has been fun, but this point is where the hard work begins.

“It just means doubling down on some things. … I’m just excited,” he added.

He said he plans to continue meeting with people and going door to door to talk with voters.

Bridges said she plans to look at her campaign strategy for the general election and see if it needs any changes, but she still plans meet with people and introduce herself so they can get to know her and what she can offer as a councilwoman.

“I’m really excited that I came in second out of eight. … and that people like what I have to say and my experience,” she added.

Shuman said he plans to get out into the neighborhoods and talk to everyone.

The candidates who will not being moving forward are Judy Dechaine, who received 818 votes; Tom Tyler, who received 468 votes; Trenton Motley, who received 303 votes; and Brent Foutz, who received 97 votes.

Dechaine said she was disappointed with the campaign and frustrated with the apparent lack of effort by another candidate. She also said she had to form an opinion about who to suggest her supporters endorse.

“I was quite pleased,” said Tyler about the election and how close the percentages were.

He also said he was happy with two of the council candidates who are moving forward and is encouraging his voters to support them.

“No sour grapes here,” he added.

Tyler also said he plans to stay involved with the community.

“I’m pretty happy with who moved on from the primary,” Motley said. “Everything happens for a reason and I’ll have to try again.”

In an email sent to the Boulder City Review, Foutz said he could possibly claim a “moral victory” because he spent 26 cents per vote to come in eighth and candidates who lost had spent more per vote in previous elections.

The general election takes place June 11. Early voting for the election will take place from May 25 to June 7.

Contact reporter Celia Shortt Goodyear at cgoodyear@bouldercityreview.com or at 702-586-9401. Follow her on Twitter @csgoodyear.