The following pages outline information about the upcoming election including opinions from leaders in Nevada’s business community on these issues.
“Nevada is the most diverse battleground state in the nation and, because of our competitiveness, it takes early investment and a robust ground game to win here,” said Nevada State Democratic Party Spokesperson Claudio Alvarado.
“Nevadans are focused on the issues that hit closest to home—kitchen table issues like rising costs, stagnant wages and affordable housing,” said Nevada Republican Party Chairman, Michael McDonald. “When we ask ourselves if we are better off than we were four years ago, for most of us, the answer is no. The cost of living has gone up, gas prices remain high, and inflation continues to erode the value of our hard-earned paychecks.”
Candidates
Democrat
Kamala D. Harris
President
—
Tim Walz
Vice President
KamalaHarris.com
“We are the heirs to the greatest democracy in the history of the world. And on behalf of our children and our grandchildren and all those who sacrificed so dearly for our freedom and liberty, we must be worthy of this moment.” – Harris at Democratic National Convention, August 2024
Republican
Donald J. Trump
President
—
J.D. Vance
Vice President
DonaldJTrump.com
“Tonight, I ask for your partnership, for your support. And I am humbly asking for your vote. Every day I will strive to honor the trust you have placed in me, and I will never ever let you down. I promise that I will never let you down. To all of the forgotten men and women who have been neglected, abandoned and left behind you will be forgotten no longer. We will press forward together. We will win, win, win.” — Trump at Republican National Convention, July, 2024
“President Trump’s emphasis on helping Americans keep more of their hard-earned money, from no tax on tips, no tax on Social Security and no taxes on overtime work, is resonating with voters across our state,” said McDonald. “As Nevadans look to the future, they are increasingly turning to President Trump’s economic policies as the solution to getting ahead, not just getting by.”
“Nevada’s working families cannot trust [Trump] and quite literally cannot afford another four years of Donald Trump’s failed promises, of anti-worker schemes or his billionaires-first scams,” said Alvarado.
Consider: There’s not much that can be said about the 2024 presidential election that hasn’t already been hotly debated in recent history. One bright spot to this year’s choice of President is that both candidates have records in our nation’s executive office that can be reviewed and considered when making the choice. A careful review of actions taken while in office should motivate the choice of voters this year rather than an emotional desire for one candidate over another.
“Our national debt is an existential crisis, said Sam Mirejovsky, host of the conservative “What’s Right Show” on News/Talk 840 KXNT. “Americans are not ready for the economic pain that would result in the dollar losing status worldwide. Harris thinks we can spend our way out of debt while chasing away billionaires with new tax schemes. Cuts are necessary, but they’re not enough. To paraphrase someone who must never be President — we need to unburden entrepreneurs from what has been — by removing the reams of regulation and unleashing American productivity.”
Mirejovsky added, “Trump can do much of this alone, simply by rescinding regulations imposed through executive fiat and gutting the federal agencies that add no value to our lives. In contrast, a Harris victory would cement the new Democrat strategy of vibes over policy and lawfare over democracy — all while ushering in a new era of censorship and central planning.”
One interesting thing to note is the candidate’s websites themselves. The Harris/Walz website has links for donations and bios of the candidates but, until mid-September, had no platform or policy information. She announced her run on July 21st and provided little clear information on the issues she’d be running on. The Trump/Vance website also features the obligatory donate button and candidate bios as well as a comprehensive platform section that outlines the candidate’s intentions.
U.S. Senate
Jacky Rosen
Incumbent
—Democrat—
RosenforNevada.com
Sam Brown
—Republican—
CaptainSamBrown.com
Janine Hansen
—Independent American—
JanineHansen.com
Chris Cunningham
—Libertarian—
CunninghamforNevada.com
Consider: This election is particularly important because it will help determine whether Democrats hold a majority in the Senate. “A Republican Senate is key to staffing a second Trump term with real reformers who prioritize the interests of the average American citizen over D.C. bureaucrats and oligarchs,” said Mirejovsky. “A Democrat-controlled Senate, on the other hand, would prevent any of that from happening. And if combined with a Harris presidency, it could even mean ending the filibuster to pack the Supreme Court.”
U.S. House Nevada District 1
District 1 includes approximately 704,000 residents in the southeast corner of Nevada in Clark County.
Dina Titus
Incumbent
—Democrat—
DinaTitus.com
Mark Robertson
—Republican—
RobertsonforCongress.com
Bill Hoge
—Independent American—
David Havlicek
—Libertarian—
David Goossen
Ron Quince
QuinceforNevada.com
U.S. House Nevada District 2
District 2 includes approximately 777,417 residents and encompasses the entire northern half of Nevada.
Mark Amodei
Incumbent
—Republican—
AmodeiforNevada.com
Lynn Chapman
—Independent American Party—
Javi Tachiquin
—Libertarian—
Greg Kidd
U.S. House Nevada District 3
District 3 includes approximately 775,299 residents in the southwest corner of Nevada, including the southernmost tip.
Susie Lee
Incumbent
—Democrat—
SusieLeeforCongress.com
Drew Johnson
—Republican—
DrewforNevada.com
U.S. House Nevada District 4
District 4 includes approximately 778,140 people and encompasses the middle portion of the state, between northern Nevada and Clark County.
Steven Horsford
Incumbent
—Republican—
StevenHorsford.com
John J. Lee
—Republican—
JohnLeeforCongress.com
Russell Best
—Independent American—
Timothy Ferreira
—Libertarian—
Tim4NV.com
Consider: “Maintaining control of the House is essential,” said Mirejovsky. “Increasing the margin of Republican control would remove all excuses for the dysfunction that has resulted from thin margins and the enmity between principled congressional idealists and those who have been willing to compromise for the sake of passing budgets. If Democrats control the budget, America’s best-case scenario is a managed decline.”
Ballot Measures
In addition to voting for leadership in the country, this year Nevada’s election will include several ballot measures up for consideration. In reviewing ballot measures, voters should know the different ways initiatives are placed on the ballot for consideration and the types of measures. This year’s ballot will include six constitutional amendments and one state statute.
Question 1: Remove the Board of Regents’ Constitutional Status (LRCA)
Remove the constitutional status of the Board of Regents allowing the state legislature to review and change the governing organization of state universities.
The Board of Regents is an elected board that oversees eight public institutions of higher education in Nevada. The board is comprised of 13 voting members elected to six-year terms in by-district elections.
This measure was on the 2020 ballot in Nevada and defeated 50.15 to 49.85 percent.
Yes – Supports removing the constitutional status of the Board of Regents. This would allow the state legislature to review and change the governing organization of state universities.
“CCEA (Clark County Education Association) supports this resolution because we believe that the K through 20 education delivery system in Nevada needs to be well funded with sufficient transparency and accountability measures to reach the goal of economic diversification in the state of Nevada.” – Hawah Ahmad, lobbyist on behalf of CCEA
No – Opposes removing the constitutional status of the Board of Regents, this keeps the current governing organization of state university with no state legislative authority to change it.
“Elected boards are in place to ensure schools and colleges reflect the values of the people, providing direct lines of accountability to the community. This is the main reason elected boards are preferable to appointed or hybrid models.” – Statement from Nevada State Education Association
Consider: “While the idea of greater accountability for the Board of Regents is sensible, the Nevada Constitution should only be amended in the most exigent circumstances to protect the fundamentals of state governance when legislative solutions are inadequate,” said Mirejovsky. “Question 1 does not meet that threshold of exigency.”
Question 2: Language Revision for “Outdated” Terminology (LRCA)
Revise language related to public entities for individuals with mental illness, blindness or deafness.
Article 13, Section 1 currently describes public entities for individuals with mental illness, blindness or deafness as “institutions for the benefit of the insane, blind and deaf and dumb.” Under this amendment, the word institutions would be replaced with entities and the insane, blind, deaf and dumb would be replaced with persons with significant mental illness, persons who are blind or visually impaired, persons who are deaf or hard of hearing and persons with intellectual disabilities or developmental disabilities.
Yes – Supports revising this language.
“More than 156 years after Nevada was admitted into the Union, it is time to give these words a more critical look. We should change them to contemporary language that is not deemed to be discriminatory or narrow.” – State Senator Robin Titus
No – Opposes revising this language.
No formal arguments were found against passage of this amendment. A summary of the ballot question provided by the Nevada legislature said, “Amending the Nevada Constitution should be a rare occurrence, and its language should not be changed simply to accommodate terminology that may be outdated or fall in and out of favor over time … Question 2 does not effectively address the broader issue of appropriate language use.”
Consider: “Constitutions regularly have ‘outdated’ language,” said Mirejovsky. “Amending constitutions to comply with the never-ending treadmill of inoffensive euphemisms is a distraction. If we aren’t properly caring for our neighbors with disabilities, the answer is to care for them — not to pat ourselves on the back for using the inclusive language du jour.”
Question 3: Open Top Five Primaries and Ranked-Choice Voting (CICA)
This initiative would establish open, top-five primaries and ranked-choice voting for general elections. This measure was approved in 2022 by 52.94 to 47.06 percent. If approved in this election it would revise the constitution for candidates to run in a single primary election, regardless of party affiliation. The top five candidates based on votes would advance to the general election. From there, state and federal candidates would be selected by ranked-choice voting. A candidate could win with a simple majority (50 + 1). When there is no simple majority, the candidate with the fewest votes is eliminated and any votes for them are redistributed based on the voter’s second choice. This process continues until a candidate receives the majority of the vote.
Yes – Supports establishing top five primaries and ranked-choice voting for general elections.
“By implementing a ranked-choice voting system, the proposed reform will free voters to support independent candidates without the fear of aiding another party.” – Samuel Lair, former research associate for the Kenny Guinn Center for Policy Priorities at University of Nevada, Reno.
No – Opposes this method.
“Enshrining this system in Nevada’s state constitution would be a mistake because meaningful access to the ballot box is too critical to our system of representative government to sacrifice at the alter [sic] of an unproven and unwieldy experiment.” – Assemblyman Steve Yeager (D – District 9)
Consider: “Ranked choice voting does not and will not make things easier for Nevadans,” Nevada Policy President, John Tsarpalas said. “Let’s say the voter’s top choice finishes last in the first round. That candidate is eliminated, and the voter’s second choice becomes his first for the next round. But if that candidate also finishes last, the voter has an exhausted ballot. Because he has no third candidate, his ballot is put aside. That voter now has no say in who wins. His exhausted ballot means his vote stopped counting after the second round.”
Question 4: Remove Slavery as Punishment for Crime (LRCA)
As a constitutional amendment, this measure would remove language that allows the use of slavery or involuntary servitude as criminal punishment. The amended text would read, “Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude shall ever be tolerated in this state.”
Yes – Supports repealing this language from the Nevada Constitution.
“I believe that it’s time for us to move forward and make it clear and unequivocal that nobody will ever live through the horror of state-sanctioned slavery, or servitude ever again.” – Assemblyman Howard Watts (D – District 15)
No – Opposes repealing this language.
No formal arguments were found against passage of this amendment. A summary of the ballot question provided by the Nevada legislature said, “Proponents of Question 4 want voters to believe that this change to the Nevada Constitution will not negatively affect the criminal justice system. However, this ballot question could lead to unintended consequences within the criminal justice system relating to prison work requirements, community service, and parole and probation.”
Consider: “The argument for the measure doesn’t point to any violations of civil rights occurring. It claims this is purely about sending a message by changing the language,” said Mirejovsky. “Opponents say it could lead to unintended consequences. That sounds like a risk, with virtue signaling as the only reward.”
Question 5: Tax Exemption for Diapers (LRSS)
An amendment to the Sales and Use Tax of 1955, this measure would provide sales tax exemption for child and adult diapers, including disposable diapers.
Yes – Supports amending the Sales and Use Tax to provide exemption for child and adult diapers.
“The sale of diapers is necessary for families with infants or young children; therefore, it should be exempt from sales tax.” – Brian Harris on behalf of Battle Born Progress
No – Opposes amending the Sales and Use Tax.
No formal arguments were found against passage of this amendment. A summary of the ballot question provided by the Nevada legislature said, “Exempting diapers from Nevada’s sales and use taxes will result in less revenue for the State and local governments and reduce funding for public schools. Passage of Question 5 is anticipated to reduce sales tax revenues by at least $400 million between January 1, 2025, through the sunset date of December 31, 2050.”
Consider: “While I’m all in favor of reducing taxes wherever possible, the Nevada Constitution is not the appropriate place to create a specific carve out for diapers. Helping parents more comprehensively is better addressed by a child tax credit,” said Mirejovsky.
Question 6: Abortion Initiative (CICA)
This measure would propose an amendment to the Nevada Constitution to establish the right to an abortion until fetal viability, which is defined as the point of pregnancy when a baby has a significant likelihood of survival outside the uterus without the application of extraordinary medical measures. This point is determined by the professional judgement of the patient’s health practitioner. The amendment would establish a right to abortion that cannot be denied, burdened or infringed upon by a compelling state interest.
Currently in Nevada, abortion is legal until 24 weeks of pregnancy. This was affirmed in a 1990 ballot measure which was approved by nearly 64% and prohibits the state legislature from amending or repealing the law unless it is placed on the ballot.
Yes – Supports providing for a state constitutional right to an abortion. This provides for the state to regulate abortion after fetal viability, except where medically indicated to, “protect the life or health of the pregnant patient”.
“We can’t take anything for granted in a post-Dobbs world and that’s why we are really doubling down on the protections we have in statute currently.” – Lindsey Harmon, president of Nevadans for Reproductive Freedom
No – Opposes providing for a state constitutional right to an abortion.
Krystal Minera-Alvis, spokesperson for Nevada Right to Life, called the measure misleading because abortion rights are already codified in state law. President of Nevada Right to Life, Melissa Clement added, “As a woman, nothing makes me angrier than Democrats taking one of the most difficult and traumatic decisions a woman can make and using it for political fodder. Scaring women. It’s despicable.”
Consider: “The question of fetal viability is not fixed,” explained Mirejovsky. “As technology and care improve, fetal viability becomes earlier and earlier. While this may be a good legislative compromise, amending the Constitution is too permanent a solution.”
Question 7: Voter Identification Initiative (CICA)
This amendment would require Nevada residents to present a form of photo identification to verify their identity when voting in person. When voting by mail, the last four digits of a driver’s license, social security number, or the number provided by the county clerk would suffice.
Currently, Nevada does not require voters to present identification while voting. Rather, a Nevada voter must sign the election board register, and that signature is compared to the original signature on the voter’s application.
Yes – Supports amending the constitution to require photo ID in order to vote in person, or other verification for mail voting.
“Every citizen needs faith that the election process is fair and accurate. A big part of that is to verify the identity of every voter, just as companies verify the identity of the person getting on an aircraft, checking in at a hotel, or cashing a check at a bank. When voters lose faith in the process that drives elections, they also lose faith in the outcome and in the legitimacy of those declared the winners.” – Statement from Repair the Vote
No – Opposes this amendment.
“The proposed voter ID measure would dramatically change our voting system and complicate voting for individuals in our communities. Voter ID laws disproportionately impact voters of color and do nothing to make our elections more secure.” – Emily Persaud-Zamora, executive director of Silver State Voices
Consider: It’s become clear in recent years that the best way to project the sanctity of the vote is by asking individuals to confirm their identity in a verifiable way when they cast their vote. It’s a reasonable solution. Any argument that says voter ID laws impact voters of color in a more meaningful way is a racist argument that implies voters of color don’t have the same capabilities. An ID is required to function in this society, it should be required to vote.
Mirejovsky said, “While my threshold for amending the Nevada Constitution is very high, this issue is fundamental to the functioning of all future democratic elections. It is necessary to make them trusted and secure.”
Conclusion
Nevada will once again be critical in the coming election. As a swing state with a mix of red and blue voters, the Silver State could be one of a handful of key battlegrounds in November. No matter which party a voter identifies with, a free and fair election is essential to the democratic process and all eligible citizens should be participating. In short, Democrat, Republican or Independent, it’s important to vote.
“The state party is committed to using every tool at our disposal to encourage Nevadans to make their voice heard because we know just how consequential this election will be for our state,” said Alvarado of the Nevada State Democratic Party.
“The momentum on the ground to elect new leadership in Washington is strong. Nevadans want a President who will prioritize their financial security and return to a prosperous economy, and that’s exactly what President Trump is delivering,” added Chairman McDonald of the Nevada Republican Party.
To register to vote go to RegistertoVoteNV.gov. Same day registration is also available at many polling sites in Nevada, a valid identification is required. For more information visit NVSOS.gov.
Sources
Bureau of the Census’ 5-Year American Community Survey, December 8, 2022
BallotPedia
Nevada Legislature
Nevada Secretary of State
Campaign Websites (listed throughout)
