Residents press to place Pahrump town-board question on 2026 ballot; petition process explained

Speakers at the Aug. 26 meeting reported that a Pahrump town-board committee filed notice of intent to place a question on the 2026 ballot asking voters whether to adopt a town-board form of government. Organizers said they need signatures from registered Pahrump voters to qualify the question for the ballot and planned outreach including town halls and a televised roundtable.Petition organizer Beth Borysiewicz said on Aug. 20 five residents filed the intent to distribute petitions asking whether the town should adopt a town-board form of government. Tom Waters, a committee spokesman, said the committee will host a roundtable on KPVM TV and urged residents to sign petitions at announced locations, noting that businesses that permit petitions on their properties are not endorsing the measure but are only facilitating signature collection. "If the signature quota via the petition is not met, the question is not placed on the ballot," Waters said.Organizers clarified that committee members are not candidates for board positions and that candidates would run if the ballot question passes. Several residents who oppose a town board said they worry about additional layers of government and potential cost and tax implications. Amy Nelson and Herman Lewis spoke against establishing a new town board, citing projected costs and the previous town-board experience. Tammy Pittman noted the county's statutory oversight of town budgets and said historic town-board budget recommendations had resulted in property-tax increases in past years. Committee leaders said the initiative seeks to give Pahrump voters another option to decide their form of local government, not to preselect candidates.