Former state lawmaker Jim Marchant, a leading proponent of election conspiracy theories, secured the Republican nomination for Nevada secretary of state on Monday, positioning him to oversee the 2028 presidential election and potentially reshape the state's voting mechanisms to restrict access to the ballot.
Marchant's victory in Nevada’s June 9 primary sets up a rematch in November with Democratic Secretary of State Cisco Aguilar, who prevailed in their contest four years ago. The winner will control the office responsible for voting in a state that went for President Donald Trump in 2024, after voting for Democrat Joe Biden two years earlier.
Marchant has consistently questioned Nevada’s voting security, claiming both he and Trump were victims of election fraud in 2020 when Marchant lost his bid for Nevada’s 4th Congressional District. This claim persists despite officials finding no evidence of widespread fraud in that election.
He further alleged that mail ballots were fraudulent, even though he utilized this method to vote while registered in Florida. In December 2020, Marchant stood with six Nevada Republicans who signed fake electoral certificates asserting Trump won the state, despite Biden having won Nevada by over 33,000 votes that year. These six Republicans currently face charges filed by the attorney general’s office.
The Republican Nevada secretary of state at the time conducted a review of multiple fraud claims submitted by Republicans, finding them baseless or already under review and specifically refuting thousands of allegations. An Associated Press investigation into potential fraud cases across the six battleground states where Trump disputed his 2020 loss identified fewer than 475 overall, a number far too small to have impacted the election. In Nevada, the documented possible voter fraud cases represented less than 0.3% of Biden’s margin of victory.
Marchant defeated Gov. Joe Lombardo’s endorsed candidate, Shirley Folkins-Roberts, who had publicly denied widespread fraud in Nevada’s elections, and former lawmaker Sharron Angle. Folkins-Roberts conceded the race in a Monday statement.
Threat to the Franchise
If elected, Marchant has stated intentions to eliminate electronic voting machines and end the state’s universal mail ballots. His campaign website indicates he also seeks to require paper ballots, which would be counted by hand. Marchant declared his primary win a “victory for voter ID,” a measure he staunchly supports. A ballot question on voter ID passed by a wide margin in 2024 and will be presented to voters again in November.
Marchant reported raising and spending no money ahead of the primary, while Folkins-Roberts reported spending approximately $11,000 and Angle reported $20,000 this year, according to the latest campaign finance reports. Marchant stated, “Despite being massively outspent in this election, I’m proud to again be chosen by Nevada conservatives to be their champion in the race for Secretary of State.”
The State's Role and Liberal Limits
Incumbent Cisco Aguilar, who ran unopposed in the Democratic primary, has promoted efforts to streamline Nevada’s election processes and improve voter turnout. He highlighted a bill he successfully helped steer through the Legislature, which makes it a felony to harass election officials. During his tenure, Aguilar spearheaded a transition to a new voter registration and election management system and in 2024 organized a polling location at Allegiant Stadium.
Aguilar has previously stated that voter ID is a solution to a problem that does not exist. However, he also affirmed respect for the will of the voters and pledged to work with the governor and local election officials “to continue strengthening our elections.” Aguilar’s campaign declined to comment on Marchant’s victory in the GOP primary.