Jeff Carter announced his candidacy for Nevada State Treasurer on Feb. 3, pledging to bring financial expertise to the office.
“Nevada is a special place. We value independence, responsibility, and common sense. I chose to live here because Nevada gets it right, and I’m running to make sure we keep it that way,” Carter said in a press release announcing his candidacy.
The role of state treasurer is significant in managing public funds, overseeing investments, and ensuring transparency for taxpayers. According to official descriptions, the Nevada State Treasurer manages the state’s investment portfolio, unclaimed property program, and college savings plans. The position requires fiduciary oversight to protect and grow funds belonging to residents while maintaining transparency in all transactions. Strong performance in these areas supports low debt levels and avoids burdens placed on taxpayers in higher-spending states.
“Across the country, we’ve watched states like California and Illinois spiral into debt, broken pension systems, and runaway spending,” Carter said. “Those failures didn’t happen overnight. They happened because leaders ignored warning signs and treated taxpayer money like an afterthought. Nevada cannot afford that.”
Illinois faces more than $144 billion in unfunded pension liabilities due to decades of underfunding and political decisions prioritizing other spending over long-term obligations according to a December 2025 report from the Commission on Government Forecasting and Accountability. California reports over $1 trillion in combined state and local unfunded retirement liabilities following years of expansive spending without full funding according to analyses by the Hoover Institution.
“This office isn’t about headlines or politics. It’s about stewardship,” Carter said. “Every dollar the state holds belongs to the people of Nevada. My job will be to protect it, grow it responsibly, and make sure Nevadans can see exactly how their money is being managed.”
Carter’s announcement highlights his background as a financial professional and trader with four decades of experience in global finance, commodities trading at the Chicago Mercantile Exchange, venture capital management, risk oversight across market cycles, and service on corporate boards before relocating to Nevada.
He pledged to root out waste in government operations by modernizing with technology and investing responsibly while warning against fiscal mismanagement.
“I’m running because Nevada deserves a Treasurer who understands money, respects taxpayers, and is willing to say no before it’s too late,” Carter said.
