The election is a mere three weeks away 😱 and this cycle we have a lot to consider: Nevada’s governor, your congressional rep, possibly your mayor, and a slew of other state leaders. Where to start? Here are a few races we’re looking closely at:
- Governor: We took a deep dive into this race on the podcast, focusing on the frontrunners: Republican (and current governor) Joe Lombardo and Democrat Aaron Ford. We got into how Lombardo is running on his economic record, Ford's strategy of tying the governor to Trump at every turn, and whether these two will ever actually debate each other. [City Cast Las Vegas 🎧]
- Mayoral Races to Watch: Henderson and North Las Vegas residents are weighing in on their city leaders — again after neither candidate in either city captured more than 50% of the vote in June. [City Cast Las Vegas ✍️]
- Congressional Representatives: There are four congressional districts in our state — three in southern Nevada and one capturing much of rural and northern Nevada. We break down some of the interesting facets of these races (and other statewide races) in our latest City Cast Las Vegas episode. [City Cast Las Vegas 🎧]
- But wait, there’s more: If you’re still struggling to fill out your ballot, check out the guides and election coverage from the Nevada Independent, Las Vegas Review-Journal or Nevada Current.
So you know who you’re voting for, but let’s back up just a bit and make sure you’ve got all your ballot ducks in a row first:
- Where’s my ballot? Counties began sending out mail-in ballots earlier this month, so check your mail. They’re coming to every active registered voter who did not opt out. [Las Vegas Review-Journal]
- I think I opted out… That’s OK! Early voting starts Saturday, Oct. 17 and runs through Oct. 30, during which you can go to any voting center to cast a ballot. You can even register and vote on the same day! Just be sure to bring a valid Nevada driver’s license or state ID card with your current residential address. [Clark County]
- My mail ballot is filled out, now what? Take it to a drop box, a polling location, or drop it in the mail — it doesn’t even need a stamp.
- I want to vote on Nov. 3. Well then, you have your pick of voting centers. The Las Vegas Raiders just announced Allegiant Stadium will be one on Election Day; in 2024 the facility served more than 4,200 voters. It was the state’s busiest polling place! [Las Vegas Sun]
Elections bring no shortage of data and pundits who wax poetic about what it all means before election day arrives. Here are a few things to know about Nevada’s voter trends:
- Party Affiliation: Nevada welcomed 20,000 active voters in September, and more new voters identify as Democrats than Republicans. The largest voting bloc, however, is nonpartisan, making up nearly 40% of active voters. [Las Vegas Sun]
- Early Voting News: If you want to get really nerdy, Jon Ralston at the Nevada Independent is running his Early Voting Blog where he’s looking at the latest data from ballots received thus far. He updates it regularly so you can start at the bottom and work your way up to follow the trends.
