Satanic ‘Hail Satan’ Invocation Sparks Protest at Clark County Commission

In a scene that has left many Clark County residents questioning the direction of local governance in “Sin City,” a representative from The Satanic Temple delivered a full-throated invocation complete with black devil horns, criticism of traditional religion, and a closing “Hail Satan” at the Clark County Commission meeting on Tuesday.

The invocation, captured on official county video, featured Aron Ra of The Satanic Temple standing at the podium before commissioners and the public. Wearing prominent horns, Ra read from prepared remarks invoking the group’s “seven tenets,” decrying what he called “ignorant savagery” rooted in outdated religious doctrine, and urging rejection of such beliefs in favor of reason and self-empowerment. He concluded with: “Hail Satan! The archetype of the bringer of knowledge, and hail thyself.”

The invocation was introduced by Democratic Commission Chair Michael Naft and proceeded without interruption from the six-Democrat majority on the seven-member board.

Clark County Commissioner April Becker (District C), the lone Republican on the board, chose not to be present in the chambers during the event. In a statement posted to X shortly afterward, Becker made her position clear:

“I chose to not be in chambers while the satanic ‘prayer’ was taking place. While my absence didn’t stop it from happening, I do hope it draws attention to the fact we need more conservatives involved in our local government. Hopefully we add more to the ranks this November! Please put these local races at a higher priority, I could use some help!”

I chose to not be in chambers while the satanic “prayer” was taking place.

While my absence didn’t stop it from happening, I do hope it draws attention to the fact we need more conservatives involved in our local government. Hopefully we add more to the ranks this November!… https://t.co/Qnf5jX4cWa

— April Becker (@VoteAprilBecker) May 21, 2026

Becker’s protest highlights a deeper frustration among conservatives in Nevada’s most populous county. Clark County’s Board of County Commissioners has long been dominated by Democrats, currently a 6-1 majority. Becker became the first Republican to serve on the commission in more than 15 years when she was elected in November 2024 and sworn in January 2025. The last Republican to hold a seat, Bruce Woodbury, left office in 2009.

For years, the all-Democrat board operated without any opposition, overseeing policies affecting everything from taxation and development to public services in a county that is home to Las Vegas and more than two million residents. Becker’s narrow victory in District C broke that streak, but she remains vastly outnumbered on a board where Democratic priorities have shaped local government for nearly two decades.

This marks the latest instance of Satanic groups delivering government invocations in Nevada. As first reported in the Nevada Globe in January 2024, entitled, What in the Hail Satan is Going on in Washoe County, Reno Satanic founder Jason Miller, an atheist who views Satan as a symbol of rebellion, delivered a similar “Hail Satan” invocation at the Washoe County Board of Commissioners meeting on January 16, 2024. Miller’s similar remarks praised “the eternal rebel against tyrannical authority,” “freedoms of thought and expression,” and “social progress,” ending with “Hail Satan!” Commissioner Clara Andriola, who had pushed to add invocations to meetings, walked out in protest. Legal counsel noted that opening the floor to invocations requires allowing all groups under federal law — “you take the good with the bad.”

The Satanic Temple describes itself as a non-theistic activist organization that uses religious parody and symbolism to advocate for church-state separation and other progressive causes. Critics, including many faith leaders and residents, view the group’s public invocations as deliberate provocations rather than genuine expressions of religious exercise.

Becker’s absence and subsequent call for greater conservative engagement come at a time when Nevada Republicans have made significant gains in voter registration and local races. With several key commission seats up for election in November, her message is blunt: local government matters, and without more Republican voices at the table, scenes like the May 19 invocation will continue to define Clark County’s public proceedings and policies.