A crowded field of attorneys competed for several municipal and justice court seats in the Tuesday primary.
The races are low profile, but the positions come with the power to adjudicate low-level cases and, in the case of justice courts, serve as the entry point into the judicial system for most criminal cases.
In each race, if one of the candidates receives more than 50 percent of the vote in the primary, that candidate will win outright. If no one surpasses the 50 percent threshold, the two top vote-getters will advance to a run-off election in November.
In Henderson Justice Court’s Department 3, Barbara Schifalacqua was leading as of 8:53 p.m. with 52.9 percent of the vote. Michael Allmon was ahead in Henderson Justice Court’s Department 4 with 37.7 percent of the vote.
Alicia Albritton was winning for Henderson Municipal Court’s Department 1 with 41.7 percent of the vote.
Jessica A. Green was in the lead for Las Vegas Municipal Court’s Department 2 with 41.8 percent of the vote and Amanda Pellizzari was the frontrunner in Department 1 of that court with 36.3 percent of the vote. Incumbent Matt Walker a close second in that race.
Henderson races
Two Henderson Justice Court seats and one Henderson Municipal Court seat were on the primary ballot.
In Justice Court Department 3, attorneys Lance Hendron and Blair Parker challenged incumbent Justice of the Peace Barbara Schifalacqua, a former prosecutor appointed in 2023.
Four attorneys competed for a newly created seat presiding over cases in Department 4 of the Justice Court.
Michael Allmon, a prosecutor in the district attorney’s office, emphasized his experience practicing in the Justice Court and said his goals were “public safety and fairness.”
Trent Richards said his work filling in as a pro tem justice of the peace gave him unique experience.
John Cory, an assistant Henderson city attorney, said being a justice of the peace would give him the chance to “do the most good.”
And Harvey Gruber, a longtime criminal defense and civil attorney who had unsuccessfully run for the justice of the peace position before, said his experience stood out.
Attorneys also challenged an incumbent in Henderson Municipal Court’s Department 1, with District Court Hearing Commissioner Catherine Wiersch and civil attorney Gary Thompson trying to unseat Judge Alicia Albritton, a former prosecutor.
Las Vegas races
Voters weighed in on two Las Vegas Municipal Court seats in the primary election.
In Department 2, where the incumbent appointed judge did not run, Jessica Green, a pro tem judge, Allycia Murphy, a deputy city attorney, and Matt Lay, a Henderson assistant city attorney competed for the seat.
In Department 1, appointed Judge Matt Walker faced challengers Rae Canady and Amanda Pellizzari.
Walker is a former city prosecutor. Pellizzari has served as a contract public defender for Municipal Court cases. Canady, a former Municipal Court administrator, cast herself as a candidate of change.
“I never aspired to be a judge until I started working at Las Vegas Municipal Court,” she previously said. “What I saw was the way that an apathetic judiciary can have negative effects on employee morale, on case outcomes and on community safety.
Contact Noble Brigham at nbrigham@reviewjournal.com.
