Did you know there are two important elections this year? The primary election, coming up on June 9, will help determine which Democratic and Republican candidates—local, state, and U.S. Congress—will go against each other in the November 3 midterm election.
Why participate? Nevada’s primary election (which kicks off early voting May 23-June 5) will set the stage for November’s midterm election, a battle for control of local governments, the state Legislature and perhaps most importantly, U.S. Congress, where Republicans are trying desperately to hold onto a slim majority.
Primary Election Guide
Nevada is a closed primary state, meaning that in the primary, voters may only vote for candidates from the political party he or she is registered with. Members of minor political parties and nonpartisans will not see Democratic or Republican candidates on their ballot, but they will see races for nonpartisan candidates, such as judges.
As one of eight states that has universal mail ballots, mail ballots are sent to all active registered voters. Check your registration status, mailing address and party affiliation at registertovote.nv.gov.
Mail ballots can be dropped in the mail (officials recommend doing this promptly to avoid any delays in delivery or signature curing that might prevent the ballot from being counted) or dropped off at Election Department and City Clerk drop-off locations. In-person voting during early voting and on Election Day will also be available.
You, dear reader, have the heroic task of researching candidates so you can make an informed decision, perform your civic duty and help determine our future. Luckily, Las Vegas Weekly has made that a little bit easier with this voter guide, complete with explainers, detailed endorsements and voting information.
You may be asking, “Why does voting matter?” There are many different answers, but for one, it matters for the issue of affordability—having affordable housing, health care, groceries and gas prices. We’ve taken the issue of affordable housing and broken down how elected officials at all levels of government can move the needle.
Whether it’s the economy, education, immigration or democracy itself, the issues that affect you daily are impacted by who is elected. So do your research. Consult this guide. And, oh yeah—vote!
