A local architect is challenging a first-term incumbent for the District 3 seat on the Nevada Board of Regents in the upcoming election. Regent Byron Brooks, who currently represents the district, faces Erik Swendseid, vice president at the Las Vegas-based architectural firm EV&A. Both candidates are campaigning ahead of the general election, with third-quarter finance reports due mid-October and early voting commencing shortly thereafter.
Brooks is an Army combat veteran who owns and operates a local bail bonds agency. Swendseid, a UNLV graduate born and raised in Reno, has stated his deep connection to the state’s character. He explained in a Ballotpedia candidate survey that his perspective has shaped his belief that systems—both physical and institutional—should be intentionally designed to serve those who rely on them.
District 3 is entirely contained within Clark County. It includes central parts of the Las Vegas Valley, such as around UNLV and a portion of Spring Valley, as well as parts of Henderson, including Silverado Ranch and Anthem. The race is nonpartisan, and because only Brooks and Swendseid filed to run, they did not appear on the ballot in the June primary.
The winner of this year’s regents race will serve a truncated term of only two years, a change from the six-year term Brooks was originally elected to in 2020. This modification is due to a 2023 bill passed by the Nevada State Legislature, which reduces the number of regents from 13 to nine and shortens their term length from six years to four years, starting with the 2028 election. To align with these reforms, the incoming regent will be required to run for re-election in 2028.
According to his NSHE bio, Regent Brooks’ term on the board has been marked by a focus on accountability, strategic governance, and ensuring Nevada’s higher education system meets the evolving needs of students, faculty, and the state’s workforce. He has twice served one-year terms as chair of the board. In January, Brooks voted against raising tuition between 9 and 12 percent, a measure proposed to cover a budget gap attributed to pay raises. He told The Nevada Independent that while faculty compensation and student services matter, tuition should be a last resort. Brooks advocated for sustainable state investment, greater budget transparency, and funding formula reform to protect affordability, access, and student success.
On his campaign website, Brooks touts endorsements from various law enforcement groups, including the Las Vegas Police Protective Association and the Public Safety Alliance of Nevada. He also lists endorsements from elected officials, such as Mayors Shelley Berkley and Michelle Romero, and state legislators like State Senators Carrie Buck and Jeff Stone.
Challenger Erik Swendseid told the Nevada Faculty Alliance in a candidate survey that he hopes to be "a pragmatic voice in helping guide our higher education." His campaign website lists endorsements from the Nevada Faculty Alliance, Vegas Chamber, Veterans in Politics, and AIA Las Vegas.
During the first half of the year, Swendseid raised $9,100 in contributions and in-kind donations, with $1,510 on hand as of July 1. Brooks raised $11,300 in the same period but spent almost none, entering the general election cycle with $11,279. Notably, several politically active labor unions and organizations, including the Culinary union and SEIU Local 1107, have not endorsed either candidate in District 3, although they have weighed in on other regents races. Third quarter campaign finance reports are due to the state on October 15, two days before Nevada’s two-week in-person early voting period is set to begin.