The City of Reno completed its redistricting process in September of 2023. Following a thorough community engagement process, the council selected a new ward map, transitioning the city from five to six wards in 2024.
Councilwoman Kathleen Taylor is running for the Ward 1 seat against Frank Perez. This ward became vacant after longtime councilwoman Jenny Brekhus, who is termed out, left her position. Taylor was appointed to a different ward but is now running for the Ward 1 seat due to the addition of Ward 6.
Councilwoman Taylor provided a description of the recently redrawn Ward 1 seat which she is currently a candidate for.
'The boundaries have moved further east, so Ward 1 will go to the City of Sparks Line. But there are a lot of fun things about Ward 1; we have the most parks in Ward 1 - and we move a little bit south to California Avenue, and we still have the university up towards McCarren and University Heights. We have the new public safety center, hopefully, the new fire station, and the ballpark all of downtown, which is one of the biggest differences. Downtown used to be almost like a wheel; you could say, like the spokes of the wheel, that every representative had a piece of downtown," said Reno Councilwoman Kathleen Taylor.
Frank Perez, who is running against Councilwoman Taylor in the upcoming election, has worked for the city in several different roles. He spent two years working on neighborhood revitalization projects and has served on various boards, including the Community Health Alliance and the Washoe County School District Naming Committee. Currently, Perez holds the position of Code Enforcement Officer for the City of Reno.
"I'm running for Reno City Council because I've had the opportunity to be involved in this community and this ward specifically for over ten years," said Reno City Council candidate Frank Perez. "I think a big element is making sure that the wards are represented by a person who has organically been involved in those wards, and I feel for this new Ward 1, I am that person," said Reno City Council candidate Frank Perez.
A few years ago, Perez managed a city investment program in Reno, where he worked with numerous underprivileged residents whose houses had fallen into disrepair due to economic hardship.
"I think when we have city investment programs like that, the neighborhoods feel them, and that is one of the reasons I am running for city council: to make sure that the city invests in its neighborhoods. We want to make sure we have a good community, safe for our families, for our seniors, and for all the members of our community," said Perez.
Councilwoman Taylor reports that the City of Reno receives the most service calls regarding abandoned vehicles, the unsheltered/homeless population, and parks and recreation maintenance.
During our interview, we asked both candidates about the issue of homelessness in the downtown Reno area, which falls within their district.
"In my position, I have seen firsthand how the city leads with compassion. We will do everything possible to get resources and services to people. That is our first step, and there also needs to be the enforcement side of things," said Taylor.
"Right now, we are dealing with our most service-resistant population, so we have been able to get people resources and services first. Now, we need to work with our enforcement partners, which are the Reno Police Department and, to a lesser degree, the ambassadors, and really start enforcing our M.C. code. So, we already have all of the codes and laws in place, so we need to start enforcing them," said Taylor.
Perez is calling for increased collaboration among multiple agencies to address homelessness.
"As you know, Washoe County took the reins on the homeless shelter. Although they did take a lot of responsibility, it's important that we continue working as partners as the City of Reno and the City of Sparks to ensure that we can house these individuals, provide services to these individuals, and get them going back on their feet, " said Perez. "I think that it is something we have to tackle together: as city as county and nonprofits included but together because I think that this issue is very difficult for one organization to handle by themselves," said Perez.
We reached out to the Washoe County Elections Office to learn more about how voters can access information on their new ward.
"There are a few different options for how they can find out that information. They can call our office, and we can provide that information over the phone. We can also issue them a new voter notification card. It will show their updated information and district so that they know who to vote for, and they can also go to our website and look up their address to see what district they fall in," said Washoe County Election Specialist Addie Vetter.
Here are the steps to find what district and ward you live in:
- Go to washoecounty.gov/voters/
- Select Precinct and District Maps tab
- Enter your address in Voter Information
If you have any questions regarding the changes in your ward, please refer only to the official information provided by the Registrar of Voters for Washoe County or the Nevada Secretary of State's office.
