The Election Is Over. Someone Tell Eddie Lorton …

They should call Lorton ‘The Count’ …

Washoe County election officials have spent the past week doing what election officials do after every election: counting ballots, verifying signatures, reviewing provisional votes, curing challenged ballots, testing equipment, and preparing for certification.

In other words, they've been doing their jobs.

The numbers are now largely in.

Of the 556 provisional ballots cast, 535 were accepted and counted. Of the 1,614 challenged mail ballot signatures requiring correction, 938 were successfully cured and counted. The remaining ballots that failed to meet legal requirements will not be counted.

Yet despite the process playing out exactly as election law requires, some candidates and their supporters continue searching for explanations that don't involve voters simply choosing someone else.

We've heard claims about missing ballots, deceased ballots, wrong ballots, etc.

We've heard concerns about ballots from churches that are missing.

We've heard speculation about votes that supposedly haven't been counted.

We've heard enough election theories to fill an entire Netflix documentary series.

Meanwhile, Washoe County election staff quietly continued counting, verifying, and documenting every ballot they legally could.

The reality is far less exciting than the rumors.

The election wasn't decided by a secret box of ballots hidden behind a church pew.

It wasn't decided by mysterious votes discovered in a janitor's closet.

It wasn't decided by a conspiracy involving provisional voters, signature cures, voting machines, or rogue librarians.

It was decided by voters.

Some candidates appear to be struggling with that concept.

One mayoral candidate reportedly remains unwilling to concede until every vote is counted.

The good news is that every eligible vote has been counted.

The better news is that election certification is today, so will the speculation end, of course not.

The bad news is that some candidates may continue searching for missing ballots long after election officials have gone home.

At some point, every campaign reaches the same crossroads.

You can accept the results.

Or you can spend the summer looking for votes that don't exist.

For Washoe County election officials, the job is nearly finished.

For a few candidates, acceptance may take a little longer. Or never come.