The Las Vegas mayoral election of 1987 pitted flamboyant casino developer Bob Stupak against three-term councilman Ron Lurie. The race was raucous and entertaining, so much so that it inspired the largest voter turnout in the history of our city -- 71%.
After a grueling primary and general election, Lurie was declared the victor by the narrowest of margins.
In 1987 Clark County voters cast their vote on paper ballots. Because of the closeness of the outcome, Stupak paid $17,000 to the Election Department for a recount of the paper ballots. The circumstances leading up to this recount have reverberated though our town ever since.
At a post election meeting the day after the election, then-City Manager Ashley Hall asked his staff if anyone who was present at the previous night's ballot count had observed anything that was out of the ordinary. 17-year veteran City Clerk Carol Ann Hawley stated that she had observed several unusual occurrences during the count. When asked to describe the occurrences, Hawley stated that she would do so only with her attorney present. Hall demanded that she reveal her information immediately, Hawley refused.
The meeting ended. Carol Hawley was terminated that afternoon.
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