Balzar was born in
Virginia City, Nevada. He attended school in Nevada, and graduated from
San Francisco Polytechnic High School. Balzar worked at a variety of occupations, including stagecoach driving, ranching, railroading, mining, and insurance. A
Republican, he served in the
Nevada Assembly from 1905 to 1906, and the
Nevada Senate from 1909 to 1916,. He was sheriff and county assessor of
Mineral County from 1917 to 1926, and chairman of the Nevada Republican Party from 1924 to 1925. Balzar won the race for governor in 1926, defeating incumbent
James G. Scrugham. He was re-elected in 1930. In 1931, Balzar signed into law Assembly Bill 98, which allowed for wide-open gambling in Nevada. After a lengthy illness Balzar died in the
governor's mansion in
Carson City on March 21, 1934. He shared a close friendship with comedian
Will Rogers, who eulogized him as "a real two-fisted governor." ==References==