Ethics, We Don’t Need No Damn Ethics

ABC News interviewed Commission Chair Alexis Hill for their investigative report “Protecting Your Vote: Nevada's 'swingiest' county emerges as key battleground in election certification fight.” We’ve reached out to ABC News advising Chair Hill allegedly put her friend in charge of the Registrar of Voters office in August 2024.

In a move that’s raising eyebrows and red flags, Washoe County Commission Chair Alexis Hill is now at the center of an amended complaint/lawsuit that suggests a troubling breach of ethics — one that may have compromised the independence of Washoe County’s elections office during a pivotal election cycle.

From the amended complaint Cari-Ann Burgess vs Washoe County.

According to the amended complaint filed last week, Hill — who was a candidate for re-election at the time — personally requested that Assistant County Manager Kate Thomas oversee the Registrar of Voters office in August 2024. The bombshell detail? County Manager Eric Brown approved the move and allowed it to happen.

Let’s pause.

Hill was an active candidate, facing an opponent - Marsha Berkbigler, and somehow was permitted to insert a longtime ally — and former City of Reno colleague — into direct oversight of the office responsible for managing her own election. That’s not just questionable — it’s a conflict of interest hiding in plain sight. It was questionable enough Hill remained chair during the election as a candidate but then to demand who oversaw the Registrar of Voters office is simply void of ethical responsibility.

Even more disturbing, the lawsuit claims that then-Acting Registrar of Voters Cari-Ann Burgess was not immediately told that Thomas would be taking over oversight. One day, Burgess believed she reported to the County Manager. The next, she was allegedly being badgered and overridden by Thomas — all without official notice or clarity. That kind of bureaucratic blindside isn't just sloppy. It’s potentially manipulative.

For those keeping score:

• Hill and Thomas worked together at the City of Reno, where Hill was, somewhat famously, the city’s “official party planner” in charge of special events.

• It’s even been rumored that Thomas helped Hill get that gig.

• Now, fast forward to 2024, and Hill — running for re-election — requests her old colleague take control of the very office overseeing her race.

• County Manager Eric Brown says yes.

• The Acting Registrar is kept in the dark.

• The Secretary of State? Silent.

Where. Was. The. Oversight?

Where were the ethics watchdogs? Where was the state’s top elections authority? And more importantly, why did no one raise the alarm when a sitting candidate appeared to be installing her trusted ally into a position of influence over election administration?

This isn’t just bad optics — it’s potentially corrosive to the public’s trust in the integrity of local elections.

Whether or not Hill or Thomas acted with intention to influence the process, the mere appearance of political entanglement in the elections office should have triggered immediate scrutiny. Instead, it was business as usual — until a lawsuit dragged it into the light.

If Washoe County wants to restore public faith in its elections, it needs to do more than dismiss accusations. It needs to answer one simple question:

Why was a candidate allowed to pick who oversaw her own election?

And to Chair Hill, County Manager Brown, and the Secretary of State’s Office — the public is waiting.