Election conspiracies grip Nevada community, sowing distrust

By SAM METZ
Associated Press

TONOPAH, Nev. (AP) — The resignation of a county elections clerk in a rural county in Nevada has opened a window into the long-term consequences of election conspiracy theories. Officials in Nye County have recommended scrapping voting machines in favor of hand-counting all ballots — which would be more than 20,000 in a typical general election. The leading candidate to replace the veteran clerk is someone who denies the outcome of the 2020 presidential election and says he is willing to hand-count all ballots instead of using electronic tabulators. Experts warn that could increase the likelihood of human error, delay results and create chaos in future elections.