Ballot Battleground: Nevada

Question 3, which will be on the November ballot in Nevada, would make drastic changes to our electoral system, implementing two proposed reforms — open primaries and ranked-choice voting. If it were to pass again (after already passing in 2022), it would put those changes in the Nevada Constitution. Supporters say it would upend the two-party system as we know it but opponents worry it could lead...

The race for the White House heats up in the battleground states, with President Joe Biden making his first visit to Nevada this election cycle. Host Ben Margiott was in the presidential motorcade and takes listeners behind the scenes as Biden stopped by a Democratic campaign office to rally volunteers. Plus, Nevada Secretary of State Cisco Aguilar joins to explain a coding error that caused the w...

Will abortion be on the Nevada ballot in November? One initiative seeking to enshrine reproductive freedoms is currently in the hands of the Nevada Supreme Court and advocates are already gathering signatures for another measure dealing with abortion alone. On this episode of Ballot Battleground: Nevada, host Ben Margiott takes us inside last week's oral arguments at the state supreme court, expla...

 We Matter - that’s the slogan made famous by this week’s guest - Jon Ralston, the CEO and editor of The Nevada Independent. As we heard on last week's episode of Ballot Battleground: Nevada, the Silver State will of course matter in the general election, but we mattered quite a bit less during this Presidential nominating cycle. We brought Jon in to talk about 2024, the early Biden/Trump polls, t...

In the 2024 Presidential election, Nevada isn't just a battleground, it's a toss-up. A coin flip. Don't take our word for it - that's the official race rating from the Cook Political Report, one of the most well-respected election forecasters in the United States. Senate and governor editor Jessica Taylor comes on the podcast to talk about why CPR changed Nevada from 'lean Democrat' to 'toss-up,'...

Who should draw Nevada's political maps? Today, it's whichever party is in control in Carson City. In the last cycle, Democrats had a trifecta and passed their maps without any Republican support - those maps were given an "F" from the nonpartisan Princeton Gerrymandering Project for giving Democrats a clear political advantage. But now one group is pushing to take the redistricting process out of...

The busiest week in Nevada elections in a long time is in the rearview mirror. In the end, Donald Trump and Joe Biden won all of Nevada's delegates from the caucus and primary, respectively. Host Ben Margiott interviews reporter Audrey Mayer about her experience covering the caucus at a Reno-area elementary school. Plus, an extended interview with interim Washoe County registrar of voters Cari-Ann...

Nevada's first presidential preference primary in decades went smoothly, with low voter turnout making for no lines at most polling places. As expected, President Joe Biden won the Democratic primary handily. But in a surprising turn of events, former ambassador Nikki Haley lost to 'None of these candidates' in the Republican contest. We speak with reporters Kim Burrows and Audrey Mayer about thei...

Nevada's Presidential nominating process is more confusing than ever in 2024 with two different elections being held in a span of just three days. Despite the state shifting to a Presidential preference primary, the Nevada GOP has still opted to hold a caucus on February 8th. Truckee Meadows political science professor Fred Lokken comes on the show to explain in detail how and why we got here and...

Ballot Battleground: Nevada is a show where we take deep dives into the issues, people, policies and debates shaping politics in our critical swing state. Many voters find themselves confused or overwhelmed when they walk into the voting booth. Our goal is to explain the issues that matter most to everyday Nevadans so they're fully informed before casting their ballot. Learn more about your ad cho...