Pierini, Wheeler dominate opponents

By Kathryn Reed

There will not be a new sheriff in town. With 100 percent of the precincts reports, Ron Pierini will be keeping his job as sheriff of Douglas County.

He came away with 11,677 votes or 68.92 percent. Challenger Dave Brady had 31.08 percent or 5,266 votes.

Ron Pierini

“I’m very, very happy with the results. It was almost 70 percent again. That was awesome,” Pierini told Lake Tahoe News. “It was a very humble reaction I had.”

In the June primary there were three contestants for sheriff, with the top two vote getters in the Nov. 4 runoff.

Pierini was first elected sheriff in 1997. He started with the department in 1976 – having been a captain in Tahoe, undersheriff and now sheriff. He said it’s too soon to tell if he will be on the ballot in 2018.

What he liked most about the campaign process was meeting new people, and hearing from them and those he knew that the department is on the right course. While he has no plans to drastically alter the course the department is on, he said keeping up with technology is always a goal.

“I always have the intention of never being stale,” Pierini said. “I see what our weaknesses are and improve things.”

In another contested race in Douglas County, incumbent Jim Wheeler will retain his seat in the state Assembly. The District 39 seat extends to Lake Tahoe. Wheeler had 77.67 percent or 12,924 votes compared to Al Giordano’s 3,716 votes for 22.33 percent.

The top vote getters for Kingsbury General Improvement District are Darya Vogt (28.41 percent, 329) and Dan Norman (24.72 percent, 289).

Elected to the Tahoe Douglas Fire Protection board are Kevin Kjer (38.5 percent, 1,023) and Bill Kirschner (33.01 percent, 877).

Nancy McDermid, county commissioner representing the lake, was running unopposed.