The Sunday Read: ‘A Republican Election Clerk vs. Trump Die-Hards in a World of Lies’
whatshot 18 snips
Jul 14, 2024
Cindy Elgan, a Republican election clerk in Nevada, faces backlash from her community as election denialism takes root. Amid accusations and conspiracy theories, she struggles to maintain trust in the electoral process. The podcast highlights her emotional turmoil and the challenges of navigating legal obstacles linked to a recall petition. It also illustrates the deep divide between election officials and voters, emphasizing the repercussions of misinformation on personal and professional relationships.
29:05
forum Ask episode
web_stories AI Snips
view_agenda Chapters
auto_awesome Transcript
info_circle Episode notes
insights INSIGHT
Widespread Denialism
Election denialism is widespread, affecting even small, remote communities.
Many election officials face immense pressure, threats, and distrust.
question_answer ANECDOTE
Clerk Faces Recall
Cindy Elgin, a Republican clerk in Esmeralda County, Nevada, faced a recall effort.
This was due to election denialism despite her long service and support for Trump.
question_answer ANECDOTE
Recall Petition Filed
Mary Jane Zakas, a local Republican leader, filed a recall petition against Elgin.
Zakas's distrust stemmed from conspiracy theories despite knowing Elgin personally.
Get the Snipd Podcast app to discover more snips from this episode
Cindy Elgan glanced into the lobby of her office and saw a sheriff’s deputy waiting at the front counter. “Let’s start a video recording, just in case this goes sideways,” Elgan, 65, told one of her employees in the Esmeralda County clerk’s office. She had come to expect skepticism, conspiracy theories and even threats related to her job as an election administrator. She grabbed her annotated booklet of Nevada state laws, said a prayer for patience and walked into the lobby to confront the latest challenge to America’s electoral process.
The deputy was standing alongside a woman that Elgan recognized as Mary Jane Zakas, 77, a longtime elementary schoolteacher and a leader in the local Republican Party. She often asked for a sheriff’s deputy to accompany her to the election’s office, in case her meetings became contentious.
“I hope you’re having a blessed morning,” Zakas said. “Unfortunately, a lot of people are still very concerned about the security of their votes. They’ve lost all trust in the system.”
After the 2020 election, former President Donald J. Trump’s denials and accusations of voter fraud spread outward from the White House to even the country’s most remote places, like Esmeralda County. Elgan knew most of the 620 voters in the town. Still, they accused her of being paid off and skimming votes away from Trump. And even though their allegations came with no evidence, they wanted her recalled from office before the next presidential election in November.
Unlock full access to New York Times podcasts and explore everything from politics to pop culture. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.
The Daily