Secretary of State of Nevada · Election November 3, 2026 · Updated
Who should I vote for in the Nevada secretary of state race?
Cisco Aguilar has the strongest record in the Nevada secretary of state race. Cisco Aguilar scores 61 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, ahead of Jim Marchant at 55, as of October 6, 2026. Cisco Aguilar's highest marks are command of the job and relevant experience. Jim Marchant's highest marks are relevant experience and communication. Brad Barnhill (4 of 15 criteria) and John T. Kennedy (0 of 15 criteria) have too little public record to score. Every score comes from public records on character, qualifications and performance, the same way for every party.
Democratic · incumbent
Strongest record
Cisco Aguilar
On the ballot as Francisco "Cisco" Aguilar
61 / 100
Public evidence on 11 of 15 criteria
- Character
- 50
- Qualifications
- 70
- Performance
- 63
Independent American Party
Brad Barnhill
On the ballot as Brad Lee Barnhill
Not enough public record for a score
Public evidence on 4 of 15 criteria
- Character
- 50
- Qualifications
- 50
- Performance
- NR
Libertarian
John T. Kennedy
Not enough public record for a score
Public evidence on 0 of 15 criteria
- Character
- NR
- Qualifications
- NR
- Performance
- NR
Republican
Jim Marchant
55 / 100
Public evidence on 11 of 15 criteria
- Character
- 50
- Qualifications
- 60
- Performance
- 50
The good, the bad and the unresolved
The record
The notable facts of each candidate's public life, each tied to a source and confirmed to be this person. Unresolved matters are labeled with where they stand and do not move a score.
Cisco Aguilar
- On the record2025-12 to 2026
Declined a Justice Department demand for Nevada's unredacted voter rolls; the department sued, and a federal judge dismissed the suit in summer 2026.
Source: Nevada Current, Sept. 28, 2026
- On the record2024-07-10
Filed an emergency petition, through the attorney general, asking the Nevada Supreme Court to compel the Washoe County Commission to certify its 2024 primary recount after the commission voted not to.
Sources: The Nevada Independent, July 2024, NBC News, July 2024
- Credit2023
Sponsored a 2023 law making it a category E felony to use force, intimidation or coercion to interfere with an elections official's duties; Republican Gov. Joe Lombardo signed it.
Source: Nevada Current, Sept. 28, 2026
- Credit2023 to 2026
Oversaw the rollout of Nevada's new statewide voter registration and election management system during his first term.
Brad Barnhill
- On the record2026
Independent American Party nominee for secretary of state; describes 20 years as a Nevada civil litigation paralegal and 20 years as a computer systems analyst.
Source: Ballotpedia, Brad Barnhill, 2026 Candidate Connection survey
John T. Kennedy
No notable items confirmed in news archives or public documents.
Jim Marchant
- On the record2026-08
Told the Nevada Independent in August 2026 that Venezuela's government used Smartmatic machines to affect elections in 72 countries, a claim the Independent reported CIA analysis had rebutted.
- On the record2022
PolitiFact rated two of his 2022 statements False and Pants on Fire: that he and Trump lost in 2020 because of a rigged election, and that Nevada's DMV registers noncitizens to vote without checking.
- On the record2022
Led efforts in 2022 to get rural Nevada counties to switch to hand-counting paper ballots.
Source: Nevada Current, Sept. 28, 2026
- On the record2020-11-20
After losing the 2020 4th District race to Rep. Steven Horsford by about 16,100 votes, asked a court for a new election citing voter fraud claims; a Clark County judge denied the request.
- On the record2020-12-14
Stood beside Nevada's Republican false electors in December 2020 as they signed electoral certificates for Donald Trump; he was not one of the six electors charged.
Source: Nevada Current, Sept. 28, 2026
- Credit2026-04
Said in April 2026 that he disagreed with President Trump's executive order seeking to change Nevada's election system, saying the federal government should not decide how states run elections.
Source: Nevada Current, Sept. 28, 2026
Who they are
Character
Integrity
Tells the truth, keeps their word, and takes no private gain from public office.
Cisco Aguilar. No ethics, court or campaign finance finding against him found; he is not named among the Nevada Commission on Ethics recent complaint cases. PolitiFact has no page for him.
Source: Nevada Commission on Ethics, Opinions page (updated Aug. 27, 2026)
Brad Barnhill. No public record found.
John T. Kennedy. No public record found.
Jim Marchant. No official ethics finding names him. Three false public statements are documented, each by a single outlet (PolitiFact for two, the Nevada Independent for one); see the record. E15 counts only statements documented by two established outlets.
Sources: PolitiFact, Jim Marchant scorecard, The Nevada Independent, Aug. 27, 2026
Courage
Takes a stand that costs them something, including telling their own side no.
Cisco Aguilar. No public record found.
Brad Barnhill. No public record found.
John T. Kennedy. No public record found.
Jim Marchant. Told the Nevada Current in April 2026 that he disagreed with President Trump's executive order seeking to change Nevada's election system, calling himself a states' rights supporter.
Source: Nevada Current, Sept. 28, 2026
Accountability
Owns mistakes, answers hard questions, and works in the open.
Cisco Aguilar. Listed to appear at a League of Women Voters of Northern Nevada forum on Oct. 14, 2026, and gave policy interviews to the Nevada Independent.
Sources: Carson Now, Oct. 5, 2026, The Nevada Independent, Aug. 12, 2026
Brad Barnhill. No public record found.
John T. Kennedy. No public record found.
Jim Marchant. Gave a 30-minute interview to the Nevada Independent and interviews to the Nevada Current and the Reno Gazette Journal in 2026; did not respond to a League of Women Voters forum invitation for Oct. 14, 2026.
Sources: The Nevada Independent, Aug. 27, 2026, Nevada Current, Sept. 28, 2026, Carson Now, Oct. 5, 2026
Temperament and judgment
Steady under pressure, decides on evidence, and treats opponents and staff with respect.
Cisco Aguilar. Secretary of state since January 2023 and earlier an appointed Nevada Athletic Commission member, with no censure, reprimand or conduct finding found.
Source: Ballotpedia, Cisco Aguilar
Brad Barnhill. No public record found.
John T. Kennedy. No public record found.
Jim Marchant. Former one-term Assembly member and business founder with no censure, reprimand or formal conduct finding found.
Source: Ballotpedia, Jim Marchant
Fidelity to the oath
Uses power inside its limits: accepts certified results, obeys court rulings, follows the rules of the office.
Cisco Aguilar. Sworn secretary of state since Jan. 2, 2023, with no misuse-of-office finding. In July 2024 petitioned the Nevada Supreme Court to compel Washoe County to certify its primary recount (see Record).
Sources: Ballotpedia, Cisco Aguilar, The Nevada Independent, July 2024
Brad Barnhill. Served in the U.S. Navy, per Ballotpedia; no misuse-of-office finding found.
Source: Ballotpedia, Brad Barnhill
John T. Kennedy. No public record found.
Jim Marchant. Sworn Assembly member 2016 to 2018. After losing a 2020 congressional race he sued for a new election, which a judge denied (E21: his own race). Stood beside Nevada's false electors in December 2020 but was not one of them.
Sources: The Nevada Independent, Nov. 2020, Nevada Current, Sept. 28, 2026
What they bring
Qualifications
Relevant experience
Has done work that prepares them for this specific office.
Cisco Aguilar. Secretary of state since January 2023, with the first term ending January 2027. Earlier special counsel to the Nevada System of Higher Education chancellor and general counsel of the Andre Agassi Foundation for Education.
Source: Ballotpedia, Cisco Aguilar
Brad Barnhill. Describes 20 years as a Nevada civil litigation paralegal and 20 years as a computer systems analyst; Navy veteran.
Source: Ballotpedia, Brad Barnhill, 2026 Candidate Connection survey
John T. Kennedy. No public record found.
Jim Marchant. Nevada Assembly member for District 37 from 2016 to 2018. Founded two early internet and telephone companies and led the Federation of Internet Service Providers of America for six years.
Source: Ballotpedia, Jim Marchant
Command of the job
Knows the issues and knows what the office can and cannot do.
Cisco Aguilar. Sitting secretary of state who oversaw the rollout of a new statewide voter registration and election management system and proposes letting mail voters feed ballots into in-person ballot readers.
Sources: The Nevada Independent, Aug. 12, 2026, The Nevada Independent, Aug. 27, 2026
Brad Barnhill. Publishes positions in his Ballotpedia survey, led by restoring trust in elections and voter roll accuracy.
Source: Ballotpedia, Brad Barnhill, 2026 Candidate Connection survey
John T. Kennedy. No public record found.
Jim Marchant. Publishes specific proposals (end universal mail ballots, unregister and reregister all voters, end electronic voting machines, repeal DMV voter registration), most of which would need legislation rather than the secretary's own powers.
Sources: The Nevada Independent, Aug. 12, 2026, Nevada Current, Sept. 28, 2026
Communication
Explains plainly, persuades, and listens.
Cisco Aguilar. Two channels documented: policy interviews with the Nevada Independent and a campaign website. Has not completed Ballotpedia's 2026 survey.
Sources: The Nevada Independent, Aug. 12, 2026, Nevada Current, Sept. 28, 2026, Ballotpedia, Cisco Aguilar
Brad Barnhill. Completed Ballotpedia's 2026 Candidate Connection survey.
Source: Ballotpedia, Brad Barnhill
John T. Kennedy. No public record found.
Jim Marchant. Three channels documented: interviews with the Nevada Independent, the Nevada Current and the Reno Gazette Journal. Has not completed Ballotpedia's 2026 survey.
Sources: The Nevada Independent, Aug. 27, 2026, Nevada Current, Sept. 28, 2026, Ballotpedia, Jim Marchant
Roots in the constituency
Lives there, knows the people, and is funded by them.
Cisco Aguilar. Born in Tucson, Arizona; Nevada resident with a career at Nevada institutions before taking statewide office. Raised more than $400,000 by mid-2026; in-state share not available.
Source: Ballotpedia, Cisco Aguilar
Brad Barnhill. No public record found.
John T. Kennedy. No public record found.
Jim Marchant. Represented Las Vegas-area Assembly District 37; born in Gainesville, Florida. Raised $1,000 from a single donor in the second quarter of 2026; in-state share not available.
Sources: Ballotpedia, Jim Marchant, Nevada Current, Sept. 28, 2026
Management
Can build and run an organization.
Cisco Aguilar. Has run the secretary of state's office, including elections and business filings, since 2023 and oversaw a statewide voter registration system rollout. No campaign finance penalty found.
Brad Barnhill. No public record found.
John T. Kennedy. No public record found.
Jim Marchant. Founded two internet and telephone companies. His 2026 campaign had $14 on hand at the end of June and no campaign infrastructure, per the Nevada Independent; no campaign finance penalty found.
Sources: Ballotpedia, Jim Marchant, The Nevada Independent, Aug. 27, 2026
What they deliver
Performance
Results
Turns ideas into outcomes.
Cisco Aguilar. Sponsored a 2023 law making it a felony to intimidate election officials, signed by Gov. Lombardo, and rolled out a new statewide voter registration system. The DOJ suit for unredacted voter rolls against his office was dismissed in 2026.
Source: Nevada Current, Sept. 28, 2026
Brad Barnhill. No public record found.
John T. Kennedy. No public record found.
Jim Marchant. State Legislative Effectiveness Score Meets expectations for his single Assembly term, 2017 to 2018, with no bills enacted into law.
Source: Center for Effective Lawmaking, State Legislative Effectiveness Scores data file
Showing up
Does the basic work of the job.
Cisco Aguilar. No public record found.
Brad Barnhill. No public record found.
John T. Kennedy. No public record found.
Jim Marchant. No public record found.
Constituent service
Solves problems for the people they represent.
Cisco Aguilar. No public record found.
Brad Barnhill. No public record found.
John T. Kennedy. No public record found.
Jim Marchant. No public record found.
Coalition building
Wins support beyond their own faction.
Cisco Aguilar. His election worker protection bill was signed into law by Republican Gov. Joe Lombardo in 2023, one bipartisan result.
Source: Nevada Current, Sept. 28, 2026
Brad Barnhill. No public record found.
John T. Kennedy. No public record found.
Jim Marchant. No public record found.
Stewardship of public money
Treats tax dollars as someone else's money.
Cisco Aguilar. No public record found.
Brad Barnhill. No public record found.
John T. Kennedy. No public record found.
Jim Marchant. No public record found.
How to read this
Each criterion is scored 0 to 4 against the written rubric in the Ballot Standard. NR means no record: there is no reliable public evidence either way, so the criterion is left out and never counts against the candidate. A total is published when at least 8 of 15 criteria have evidence.
A sitting officeholder has a longer public record than a first-time candidate, so the two totals rest on different amounts of evidence. Read the count of criteria beside each score. Low marks require an official finding or a primary record. Allegations and opinion are not used.
No policy position is scored. Evidence checked October 6, 2026. Campaigns and readers can send a correction with a public source to tpg@thepoliticalgroup.com.
Questions
Who should I vote for in the Nevada secretary of state race?
Cisco Aguilar has the strongest record in the Nevada secretary of state race. Cisco Aguilar scores 61 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, ahead of Jim Marchant at 55, as of October 6, 2026. Cisco Aguilar's highest marks are command of the job and relevant experience. Jim Marchant's highest marks are relevant experience and communication. Brad Barnhill (4 of 15 criteria) and John T. Kennedy (0 of 15 criteria) have too little public record to score. Every score comes from public records on character, qualifications and performance, the same way for every party.
Who is running in the Nevada secretary of state race in 2026?
Cisco Aguilar (Democratic, incumbent), Brad Barnhill (Independent American Party), John T. Kennedy (Libertarian), Jim Marchant (Republican). The general election is November 3, 2026.
Is Cisco Aguilar a good candidate for Secretary of State?
Cisco Aguilar scores 61 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, with public evidence on 11 of 15 criteria: character 50 of 100, qualifications 70 of 100, performance 63 of 100. The standard measures character, qualifications and performance, not policy positions.
Is Brad Barnhill a good candidate for Secretary of State?
Brad Barnhill has public evidence on 4 of the 15 Ballot Standard criteria, short of the 8 needed for a score. The evidence that exists is shown on the scorecard. No record never counts against a candidate.
Is John T. Kennedy a good candidate for Secretary of State?
John T. Kennedy has public evidence on 0 of the 15 Ballot Standard criteria, short of the 8 needed for a score. The evidence that exists is shown on the scorecard. No record never counts against a candidate.
Is Jim Marchant a good candidate for Secretary of State?
Jim Marchant scores 55 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, with public evidence on 11 of 15 criteria: character 50 of 100, qualifications 60 of 100, performance 50 of 100. The standard measures character, qualifications and performance, not policy positions.
How is the strongest record decided?
The candidate with the highest Ballot Standard score has the strongest record. Each of 15 criteria on character, qualifications and performance is scored 0 to 4 from public records and established reporting, the same way for every party. No policy position is scored, and unresolved accusations never move a score.
More on this race: every Nevada race scored, and the Nevada 2026 election guide. Independent scorecard by The Political Group, not affiliated with any candidate or party.