Ballot Battleground: Nevada - KRNV

Nevada Legislature 101 with veteran lobbyist Will Adler Feb 12, 2025

The clock is ticking at the 83rd session of the Nevada legislature, which kicked off last week in Carson City. Before we dive into the nitty gritty of the session, we wanted to start with an approachable, easy-to-understand primer for people who are brand new to #nvleg. How does our unusual citizen legislature work? How does a bill become a law? And how does the building really operate?

Veteran lobbyist Will Adler, principal of Silver State Government Relations, joins host Ben Margiott for a laid-back Silver State civics class. Ben and Will explain the ins and outs of the Nevada legislature in simple terms for people who are interested in following the process for the first time.

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Gov. Joe Lombardo's former chief of staff Ben Kieckhefer on his second State of the State speech Jan 29, 2025

Welcome back to season 2 of Ballot Battleground: Nevada! We'll kick off season 2 with a deep dive on the first major political event of the odd years in Nevada politics - the Governor's State of the State address.

That speech sets the stage for what's to come in the upcoming legislative session. This week, we have the perfect guest to give us some insight - former Lombardo chief of staff Ben Kieckhefer.

Kieckhefer has worn many hats over his years in Nevada politics — Associated Press reporter, Reno-area Senator and Nevada Gaming Commission member, just to name a few.

This week, Ben joins host Ben Margiott to chat about what the governor hoped to accomplish in his State of the State address, his 2025 legislative priorities, the structural budget errors and Lombardo's governing strategy.

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Ballot Battleground: Nevada Season 2 Trailer Jan 22, 2025

We're back! Season 2 of Ballot Battleground: Nevada returns on January 29 with a renewed focus on getting regular people more informed and involved in their government. With the 2024 election behind us, host Ben Margiott will now focus on how the newly elected officials are using their power. Will they fulfill the lofty promises made on the campaign trail? Or will they find those goals not feasible in reality? Will the policies they enact truly make Nevada a better place? Or could they backfire with unintended consequences?

Ben will interview the biggest lawmakers, advocates and power players of Nevada politics - as well as the voters that are affected by policies. Together, they'll examine and explain the Nevada legislature, federal policies, the practical effect of passed ballot measures and yes — eventually the 2026 midterms.

New episodes will drop every other Wednesday - starting January 29.

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Election results certified, AG Aaron Ford on the incoming Trump administration and the continued push for open primaries in Nevada Nov 20, 2024

All 17 of Nevada's counties have certified the results of the 2024 election, bringing this unprecedented cycle officially to a close. This week on Ballot Battleground: Nevada, host Ben Margiott recaps the dramatic canvass meeting in Washoe County and looks ahead to 2025.

Nevada Attorney General Aaron Ford joins to explain how his office intends to stand up to efforts to infringe on Nevadans' rights and be a 'bulwark' against the incoming Trump administration.

Plus, Vote Nevada executive director Sondra Cosgrove - a big supporter of open primaries and ranked choice voting - says the fight for open primaries is not over even after statewide ballot Question 3 failed.

Programming note: This was the final episode of season 1 of Ballot Battleground: Nevada. We will be taking a holiday hiatus and returning with all-new episodes in early 2025.

Advocates continue push for open primaries in Nevada after Question 3 defeated

Top Nevada Democrat says he won't introduce open primary bill despite advocate push

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Top 2024 election takeaways: Early voting matters, coattails, Reid Machine, ballot deadlines and much more with reporters Tabitha Mueller and Lucia Starbuck Nov 13, 2024

What really happened in the 2024 election is now coming into focus with all the results now in. What are the biggest takeaways? What lessons did we learn about the electorate? What will candidates and campaigns take away and use in future elections? Tabitha Mueller, reporter with The Nevada Independent, and Lucia Starbuck, KUNR political reporter, join host Ben Margiott to talk takeaways. The three chatted about the importance of early voting, the Reid Machine's strength, the changing Clark County, how Nevadan you are, ballot deadlines, election denialism and much more.

Nevada state election results

Northern Nevada local election results

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Election Day recap: Nevada turns red for first presidential election in 20 years, Senate race too close to call Nov 06, 2024

For the first time since 2004, a Republican presidential candidate won the Silver State. Former President Donald Trump won Nevada's 6 electoral votes, but how did he beat his 2016 and 2020 margins?

The Cook Political Report's Matthew Klein joins the podcast to explain the gains Trump made with key demographic groups to secure Nevada and the remaining 6 battleground states.

Plus, election night reporters Kim Burrows and Sophie Lincoln join to explain what it was like reporting from the county's mail ballot processing room and the UNR polling place, respectively.

And finally, an update on several key races and ballot measures we covered previously on Ballot Battleground: Nevada.

Nevada state election results

Northern Nevada local election results

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Can Dems close the gap in Nevada? Jon Ralston on the GOP’s early vote lead plus top Emerson College pollster and Kamala Harris in Reno Nov 01, 2024

It's our last podcast before Election Day 2024! Vice President Kamala Harris makes her first Reno stop plus a quick update on the latest early voting numbers.

The Nevada Independent CEO Jon Ralston joins to chat about whether Democrats can still close the turnout gap in the Silver State and what's driving this unprecedented trend.

Emerson College's polling director Spencer Kimball chats about their latest survey plus the outside shot at former President Donald Trump winning the national popular vote.

Then, we interview both the Harris campaign's battleground states director Dan Kanninen and top RNC spokeswoman Elizabeth Pipko on the campaigns' closing messages and reaction to the 'garbage' comments.

Early voting is underway. Here's where you can cast your ballot in Washoe County

Nevada 2024 election cycle - early voting sites and polling locations

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Trump and Harris tied in last NYT/Siena national poll, GOP out to early turnout lead in Nevada, Voice of the Voter and Vance visit Oct 28, 2024

One week remains until Election Day 2024. The final NYT/Siena College national poll shows Trump and Harris deadlocked at 48-48. Siena College Research Institute director Dr. Don Levy joins to explain what that poll means, how it compares to their last head-to-head poll and how pollsters adjust for non-response bias.

We also recap Sen. JD Vance's second Reno rally, including our question on a hot-button issue.

Plus, a quick update on the trends we're noticing in early voting, our Voice of the Voter segments and the final fact-check segment, taking a closer look at two ads for and against Republican Senate candidate Sam Brown.

Early voting is underway. Here's where you can cast your ballot in Washoe County

Nevada 2024 election cycle - early voting sites and polling locations

Fact-checking commercials for and against Sam Brown on lowering prices, 'slush fund'

Fact-checking Nevada Senate campaign commercials on housing, COVID relief checks

Fact-checking Nevada Senate candidates Sam Brown, Jacky Rosen's campaign ads on abortion

Fact-checking commercials for and against Jacky Rosen on prescriptions, big pharma

Fact-checking commercials from Nevada Congressional candidates Mark Amodei and Greg Kidd

Fact-checking commercials for and against Question 3 on ranked choice voting in Nevada

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Early voting begins, Washoe GOP’s unproven claims, and polling on how Nevadans feel about the biggest issues of the 2024 election Oct 23, 2024

Early voting has begun in the Silver State and already over 320,000 Nevadans have voted. This week, we have the sounds from the first days of early voting, a quick glance at early voting turnout numbers and an update on Washoe GOP's unproven claims of voting irregularities with the machines. Plus, host Ben Margiott interviews pollster Dr. Steven Kull, who has done 10 issue surveys in Nevada and several other swing states. How do Nevadans feel about the most critical election issues, including economic policies, immigration and border policy, reproductive rights and more? And do the results portend anything for the presidential race?

Early voting is underway. Here's where you can cast your ballot in Washoe County

Nevada 2024 election cycle - early voting sites and polling locations

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Amodei-Kidd candidate forum, mail ballots arriving, election updates and Trump's Reno rally Oct 18, 2024

Mail ballots are arriving, early in-person voting starts this weekend and after months of campaigning, billions in spending and one of the craziest years in American politics ever, the 2024 general election is upon us. We start with a a quick recap of former President Trump's Reno rally and have several 2024 election updates, including a ballot error in Carson City, three voter roll lawsuits being withdrawn and tell you about Washoe County's new ballot sorter.

Then, Rep. Mark Amodei (R) and nonpartisan political newcomer Greg Kidd participate in a candidate forum as they vie for Nevada's 2nd Congressional District. The forum, hosted by the League of Women Voters and moderated by KUNR's Lucia Starbuck, delved into voter ID, working across the aisle, housing affordability and much more. A special thanks to the League of Women Voters, KUNR and event sponsor the Nevada Appeal for putting on the forum and allowing us to bring part of it to you on Ballot Battleground: Nevada.

Nevada Appeal: 2024 Candidate Forum: US House of Representatives District 2, State Ballot Questions 1, 2, 4, 5 & 6

Washoe County unveils faster mail ballot sorter, new extractor machines ahead of election

Nevada voter roll lawsuits withdrawn, Secretary of State Aguilar calls it a victory

Carson City voters to receive corrected ballots after party affiliation error

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Debating Question 3: Open primaries and ranked choice voting - a Ballot Battleground: Nevada debate Oct 15, 2024

It would be the most consequential change to Nevada's election laws in decades. Question 3 would put open primaries and ranked choice voting in the state constitution if it passes in November. News 4-Fox 11 hosted the first Ballot Battleground: Nevada debate featuring two guests from each side of this contentious initiative. This week, we bring you the entire debate with Molly Ellery and Mike Escobar representing the Yes on 3 campaign and Amber Falgout and Kerry Durmick with Battle Born Progress and All Voting Is Local Action, respectively. We asked about whether the measure is truly complicated, concerns about ballots being thrown out, why both reforms are wrapped into one measure, how it's been implemented in other states and much more.

How would open primaries and ranked choice voting work in Nevada? We ran a fruit election to see

How has ranked choice voting worked in Maine and Alaska?

How ranked choice voting effort started, a conservative perspective on Question 3 and Tim Walz rally

What is Question 3? Explaining open primaries and ranked choice voting with the Guinn Center

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How ranked choice voting effort started, a conservative perspective on Question 3 and Tim Walz rally Oct 09, 2024

Our Question 3 debate is less than a week away, but before we bring you that debate, we've got a few more perspectives on Nevada's open primaries and ranked choice voting initiative.

After a quick recap of Tim Walz's Reno rally, we interview Doug Goodman, founder of Nevadans for Election Reform and John Tsarpalas, president of the Nevada Policy Research Institute. Goodman gives the backstory on how the ranked choice effort started and makes his case for Q3. Tsarpalas' think tank is advocating against its passage from a conservative perspective.

Finally, we fact-check two campaign ads in the race for Nevada's 2nd Congressional district from incumbent Rep. Mark Amodei (R) and nonpartisan challenger Greg Kidd.

News 4-Fox 11 to host debate on Question 3, Nevada's ranked choice voting initiative

What is Question 3? Explaining open primaries and ranked choice voting with the Guinn Center

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How has ranked choice voting worked in Maine and Alaska? Oct 02, 2024

Nevadans will soon decide if the Silver State will become the 4th state to use ranked choice voting to pick its representatives. Before Nevadans decide on this revolutionary change, we're taking a closer look at how it’s worked in other states. Has it been smooth? Have there been hiccups? Has it taken longer to get results? And do people like it?

This week, you’ll hear from two veteran reporters who have covered the implementation of ranked choice voting in their state. We interviewed Gregg Lagerquist, Maine politics reporter at CBS 13 WGME and James Brooks, state reporter for The Alaska Beacon.

News 4-Fox 11 to host debate on Question 3, Nevada's ranked choice voting initiative

What is Question 3? Explaining open primaries and ranked choice voting with the Guinn Center

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Big announcement, signature verification with the Nevada Secretary of State and more mailbag questions Sep 25, 2024

It's a special episode this week as we can finally announce the first Ballot Battleground: Nevada debate! Our debate on Question 3, which would bring open primaries and ranked choice voting to the Silver State, will be airing on News 4 and Fox 11 on October 15th at 4:30 p.m. The debate will be an in-depth conversation about the possible benefits and pitfalls of this critical ballot measure featuring two guests from each side of the issue.

Nevada Secretary of State Cisco Aguilar joins to explain what the signature verification form is, why it's important and what you should do if you don't feel comfortable sending it back in the mail.

Then, we answer more listener questions with morning show anchor Chris Murphy. Will Nevada count ballots faster this year? Can a president remove the tax on tips without Congress? Who is behind Question 3? And much more.

Plus, another edition of our fact-checking segment. We take a deeper dive on two ads - one attacking Jacky Rosen and one from her campaign - regarding the prices of prescription drugs.

News 4-Fox 11 to host debate on Question 3, Nevada's ranked choice voting initiative

What is Question 3? Explaining open primaries and ranked choice voting with the Guinn Center

Advocates push for permanent abortion protections in Nevada (from April)

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Walz visit and Democracy Defense Project feat. Brian Sandoval and Richard Perkins Sep 18, 2024

A Republican and a Democrat — both well-respected in Nevada politics — are joining together to help rebuild faith in our elections through the Democracy Defense Project. This week, host Ben Margiott interviews the Nevada co-chairs, former Governor Brian Sandoval (R) and former Assembly Speaker Richard Perkins (D). Sandoval and Perkins explain what they hope to accomplish and why it's so difficult for some Republicans to admit the truth about the 2020 election. Plus, Gov. Tim Walz makes his first campaign stop in northern Nevada, though he cancelled a planned rally to focus on the Davis Fire. And finally, we fact-check two commercials about Question 3, the ballot measure that would bring ranked-choice voting and open primaries to the Silver State.

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Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto on Harris, no tax on tips, ranked-choice voting and more Sep 04, 2024

It's a special first for Ballot Battleground: Nevada this week - U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D) stops by the studio for an extended sit-down interview. Host Ben Margiott interviews the Silver State's senior senator on her work in the Senate, swapping out Biden for Harris, the no taxes on tips proposal, ranked-choice voting, the Washoe County lands bill and much more. Plus, at the end of the episode, it's another edition of our new segment fact-checking political commercials. This week, a closer examination of two ads related to housing in Nevada's hotly contested U.S. Senate race.

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Nevada is back in play with the Cook Political Report - plus our new fact-check segment Aug 28, 2024

After the infamous Trump-Biden debate, it seemed Nevada might be out of reach for Democrats. But it's now back in play after the party switched out their struggling nominee for Kamala Harris. Jessica Taylor with the Cook Political Report, one of the nation's best election forecasters, joins to give her expert analysis on the state of play here in the Silver State. Plus, we launch a new fact-checking segment where we explain and provide context on campaign commercials, starting with a look at Sam Brown and Jacky Rosen's ads on abortion.

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Should diapers be exempt from sales tax? It’s Question 5 on the Nevada ballot Aug 21, 2024

Should diapers be exempted from Nevada's state sales tax like so many other essential items? Voters will get the chance to decide on Question 5 in November. There likely won't be much money spent on ads or opposition to this measure, but it's still worth explaining the benefits and possible drawbacks - including a loss of revenue for the state. This week, Baby's Bounty CEO and executive director Kelly Maxwell joins Ballot Battleground: Nevada to make the case for a sales tax exemption for child and adult diapers.

Previous episodes on Nevada's abortion amendment, which will be Question 6 on the November ballot:

Advocates push for permanent abortion protections in Nevada

Will abortion be on the ballot in November?

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Contenders or spoilers? How RFK Jr. and third parties could affect Nevada’s presidential race Aug 14, 2024

Independent presidential candidate RFK Jr. will be on Nevada's ballot in November after officially filing with the state this month. He's a longshot to win the White House, polling at around 5% currently. But is that enough to spoil the election for Harris or Trump? Or is the worry about a spoiler overblown? UNLV political science professor Dan Lee joins the podcast this week to talk about how third party and independent candidates have fared in Nevada history - and whether this cycle will be any different.

(Note: This episode was recorded on Monday, before a judge ruled the Green Party can be on the 2024 ballot)

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Cleaning up the voter rolls with Nevada Secretary of State Cisco Aguilar Aug 07, 2024

Clean up the voter rolls. The plea has become more common amid the baseless claims of widespread voter fraud - but nearly everyone agrees it's a good thing to keep the massive list of all registered Nevada voters as up to date as possible. Still, there are federal and state laws that make it difficult by design to remove someone from the rolls. With the primary well behind us now, voter roll list maintenance is well underway. Nevada Secretary of State Cisco Aguilar joins to explain why it's such a critical part of our electoral system and how Nevadans can help clean the voter rolls ahead of the general election. Plus, details on Aguilar's recent experience at the Taylor Swift concert in Munich, Germany.

Some Nevada voters now inactive after voter roll cleanup - here's what that means

Nevada sends postcards to 8% of voters to verify status before presidential election

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Vance visit and more mail — answering your listener questions with Chris Murphy Jul 31, 2024

It's less than 100 days until the 2024 presidential election and the campaigns are ramping up in the Silver State. On this episode, host Ben Margiott takes you to Trump VP pick JD Vance's campaign rally in Reno, where he focused on immigration and hammered Kamala Harris for the Biden administration's border policies. Then, special guest Christ Murphy joins again to dig through the Ballot Battleground: Nevada mailbag. Ben and Chris talked about Project 2025, RFK Jr., voter ID, ballot questions, the way-too-early race for Reno mayor, the best sandwich in the Biggest Little City and much more.

What's Project 2025? Unpacking the Pro-Trump Plan to Overhaul US Government

Nevada Sen. Jacky Rosen introduces bill to allow sale of federal lands in Washoe County

Nevada's top prosecutor seeks to uphold charges against fake electors

Voter ID - a critical safeguard or unnecessary burden? Nevada voters could decide

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Biden bows out - what does it mean for Nevada? With Jon Ralston and Jeremy Gelman Jul 22, 2024

Less than 4 months until Election Day, a sitting U.S. President who ran for re-election has stepped aside. Joe Biden's announcement over the weekend that he would no longer run for president upended the 2024 race. What does it mean for Nevada? What do our 49 Democratic delegates do now? What is the precedent for such a race-altering event this late in the campaign? On this emergency episode of Ballot Battleground: Nevada, host Ben Margiott interviews Jon Ralston, CEO of The Nevada Independent and UNR political science professor Jeremy Gelman to get their insight on Biden dropping out and Kamala Harris' viability as a candidate.

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Voter ID - a critical safeguard or unnecessary burden? Nevada voters could decide Jul 17, 2024

Is requiring voter ID a critical safeguard that will improve voter confidence? Or an unnecessary burden that could depress turnout? Nevada voters could decide this November on a ballot measure requiring photo identification to cast a ballot. How would it work? What about people that don't have ID? Is this a solution in search of a problem? Host Ben Margiott interviews advocates on both sides of the issue - Dave Gibbs with the Repair the Vote PAC and Kerry Durmick with All Voting is Local Nevada.

Voter ID: Critical safeguard or unnecessary burden? Nevada voters could decide

Vote Ballot Battleground: Nevada for best local podcast

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Should recounts be automatic in close Nevada elections? Jul 10, 2024

Should Nevada automatically recount results in close races? Or continue to make the candidates pay regardless of the margin? What about 'frivolous' recounts requested in races where the outcome will almost certainly never change? The debate over recount policy in the Silver State has reignited after multiple recounts in Washoe County after the primary. This week, host Ben Margiott interviews Deb Otis with FairVote, a nonpartisan policy group advocating for various electoral reforms. Ben and Deb chat about the history of recounts in statewide elections since 2000, how often they change outcomes and balancing the need for recounts in tight races against the burden they put on election administrators.

An analysis of statewide election recounts, 2000-2023 - FairVote

Vote Ballot Battleground: Nevada for best local podcast

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Nasty political attacks the norm in northern Nevada now - how the Dignity Index ranks them (pt. 2) with Andre Wade and Dr. Amy Pason Jul 03, 2024

Drag Queen Devon. Beth "Death" Smith. Veto Villain. The list of nasty and personal attacks, many of them launched by right-wing activist Robert Beadles, goes on and on. What does it do to the people who are targeted? Why are some taking this tactic, even though it's been largely unsuccessful? Where should we draw the line? In this two-part series, host Ben Margiott interviews candidates, activists and experts about the increasingly nasty political rhetoric and what can be done about it.

In episode 2, Andre Wade with Silver State Equality on the toll such attacks take on marginalized communities. Plus, we continue our conversation with Dr. Amy Pason about the Dignity Index, why it matters and how she would rank some attacks we've mentioned on that objective scale.

The Dignity Index

Vote Ballot Battleground: Nevada for best local podcast

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Drag Queen Devon. Death Smith. Veto Villain — nasty political attacks the norm in northern Nevada now (pt. 1) with Beth Smith and Dr. Amy Pason Jun 26, 2024

Drag Queen Devon. Beth "Death" Smith. Veto Villain. The list of nasty and personal attacks, many of them launched by right-wing activist Robert Beadles, goes on and on. What does it do to the people who are targeted? Why are some taking this tactic, even though it's been largely unsuccessful? Where should we draw the line? In this two-part series, host Ben Margiott interviews candidates, activists and experts about the increasingly nasty political rhetoric and what can be done about it.

In episode 1, Beth Smith opens up about threats to her family's safety after ads attacked her for her cancer diagnosis. Plus, part 1 of our conversation with UNR's Dr. Amy Pason about the history and effectiveness of this kind of messaging.

Vote Ballot Battleground: Nevada for best local podcast

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What did we learn from the Nevada primary? Top takeaways with reporters Gabe Stern and Tabitha Mueller Jun 19, 2024

The dust has settled from the Nevada primary and the general election matchups are coming into focus. What did we learn from the messy GOP primary? What can we glean from the results of down ballot races? And what about that low turnout? Host Ben Margiott holds a reporter roundtable with the Associated Press' Gabe Stern and The Nevada Independent's Tabitha Mueller. What are the top takeaways from the June election? The group chats about Jeff Gunter refusing to endorse Sam Brown, Robert Beadles' rough night, Gov. Lombardo's influence, Election Day traditions and more.

Gunter refuses to back Brown after GOP primary, predicts Rosen win in Nevada

Washoe commissioner Andriola wins over far-right challenger in key Nevada county race

Vote Ballot Battleground: Nevada for best local podcast

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Primary recap! Brown vs. Rosen matchup set, why I'm a 'sham journalist,' and Election Night wrap-up with reporters Kim Burrows and Audrey Mayer Jun 12, 2024

The voters have spoken in the Nevada primaries and the matchup that could decide control of the U.S. Senate is set. It's officially Republican Sam Brown vs. Democratic incumbent Jacky Rosen in November. This week, we have a jam-packed Election Day recap - host Ben Margiott takes you out to the polls, to the registrar's office and to the big watch party in downtown Reno. Plus, why did a question we asked spark outrage on the right and prompt one candidate to label me a 'sham journalist'? And finally, an Election Night wrap-up with analysis and perspective from News 4 reporters Kim Burrows and Audrey Mayer.

Decision 2024: Real-time Nevada election results for June primary

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Vote vote vote! Nevada primary election in full swing Jun 05, 2024

The 2024 primary election is in full swing with hundreds of polling places open across the Silver State for early voting. Most people though are taking advantage of the convenient mail ballot and sending it in that way. Host Ben Margiott visits one polling place in Reno and has an update on turnout so far. Plus, Washoe County registrar of voters Cari-Ann Burgess on the smooth in-person voting and how her office addressed a series of ballot errors. And Jennifer Willett with All Voting is Local joins to talk about her group's efforts to expand voting access including into jails.

Know Your Candidates 2024

Everything you need to know about early voting in Washoe County

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Early voting begins and Nevada’s changing electorate with UNR Prof. Jeremy Gelman May 29, 2024

It is week 1 of early voting in Nevada's primary election as hundreds of thousands of voters get ready to whittle down the massive list of candidates for the November general election. We break down turnout so far and explain how most Nevadans are still choosing to vote by mail. Plus, host Ben Margiott has an extended conversation with UNR political science Jeremy Gelman about the GOP primary for U.S. Senate, other races he's watching closely and Nevada's changing electorate. How have Nevada’s demographics shifted in recent years? Does that mirror national trends? And what does that mean for November?

Know Your Candidates 2024 page

FiveThirtyEight Swing-O-Matic interactive

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Bonus! Meet the GOP candidates for U.S. Senate (part 2) May 28, 2024

It's a crowded field of Republican candidates in the race for U.S. Senate in Nevada - 12 candidates filed for the chance to take on incumbent Democrat Jacky Rosen in November. If you listened to episode 15, you heard from 3 of the top 4 frontrunners - the one exception being Sam Brown, who canceled his interview and never rescheduled. On this bonus episode, host Ben Margiott interviews the remaining candidates that were willing to interview with us: Bill Conrad, E.T. Hamilton, Garn Mabey, Ronda Kennedy, Stephanie Phillips and Vincent Rego.

Skip to the following times to hear from a specific candidate:

Bill Conrad 1:32

E.T. Hamilton 8:50

Garn Mabey 17:40

Ronda Kennedy 24:25

Stephanie Phillips 32:45

Vincent Rego 44:30

Note: Barry Lindemann did not show up for his interview time and Gary Marinch never replied to multiple emails seeking an interview.

Know Your Candidates 2024 page

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It's primary time! How to participate plus how voter fraud complaints are investigated with Secretary of State Cisco Aguilar May 22, 2024

Primary Election Day is less than 3 weeks away in Nevada. Secretary of State Cisco Aguilar joins the show to talk when and how to vote, how to register to vote or change your party affiliation and everything else you need to know before casting your ballot. Plus, a deep-dive on how the Secretary of State's office receives and investigates complaints of voter fraud. Spoiler alert: the number of complaints represents a tiny fraction of the over 1 million votes cast in 2022 - and many are resolved with no criminal action.

Read the full report here: 2024 Election Investigations Report Q1

Know Your Candidates 2024 page

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Meet the GOP candidates for U.S. Senate (part 1) May 15, 2024

It's a crowded field of Republican candidates in the race for U.S. Senate in Nevada - 12 candidates filed for the chance to take on incumbent Democrat Jacky Rosen in November.

This week, we start our Know Your Candidates 2024 series by introducing you to the 3 GOP candidates that, according to a recent internal poll, have the best shot at upsetting Sam Brown, the wounded warrior widely considered to be the frontrunner.

(Brown initially signed up for an interview slot but canceled, citing a scheduling conflict. His team did not respond when we offered three other time slots on a different day.)

Host Ben Margiott interviews Jim Marchant, Tony Grady and Jeff Gunter about Yucca Mountain, abortion, the Trump hush money trial and more. In fairness to all candidates, we asked a series of similar questions. Stay tuned for extended interviews with several other candidates in the Republican primary in the coming weeks.

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Mail time! Answering listener questions with special guest Chris Murphy May 01, 2024

It's mail time at Ballot Battleground: Nevada. We put out a call for listener questions recently and received plenty. News 4-Fox 11 morning show anchor and political expert Chris Murphy joins this week to go through the mailbag with host Ben Margiott. They answered questions about a nonpartisan running in Congressional District 2, Yucca Mountain, abortion on the ballot, whether campaign signs work and much more.

Submit your questions for future mailbag episodes by emailing bjmargiott@sbgtv.com or by tagging Ben on social media.

LA Times story on Yucca Mountain: Nuclear waste storage at Yucca Mountain could roil Nevada U.S. Senate race

Search Engine podcast on campaign signs: Do political yard signs actually do anything?

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Advocates push for permanent abortion protections in Nevada Apr 24, 2024

After the overturning of Roe v. Wade, there's been a state-by-state patchwork of differing abortion laws across the country. In Nevada, abortion is protected up to 24 weeks in state law after a 1990 referendum. But advocates want to make that protection even stronger by adding abortion rights to the Nevada Constitution. It appears their ballot question to enshrine that right is headed for the November ballot. Denise Lopez, director of Nevada campaigns for Reproductive Freedom for All, joins to explain the abortion landscape in the Silver State, why she feels a Constitutional amendment is necessary and answer a number of criticisms about the initiative petition.

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Nevada Congressional District 2 GOP primary race preview Apr 17, 2024

Primary season is underway - if you haven't noticed all the campaign signs and ads in every commercial break. This week, host Ben Margiott previews the GOP primary for Nevada's 2nd Congressional district, which covers most of northern Nevada. With no Democrat running in this deep red district, the winner of the seat will likely be determined in the June primary. Rep. Mark Amodei, the incumbent since 2011, and Dr. Fred Simon sit down for extended interviews about why they're running, the national debt, foreign aid and whether they would continue to support former Pres. Trump if he's convicted before the election. Plus, an update on the controversial USPS plan to reroute northern Nevada mail through Sacramento after a Congressional oversight hearing with postmaster general Louis DeJoy this week and a viral moment from Sen. Jacky Rosen.

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Should public money be used for the A's baseball stadium in Las Vegas? Nevada Supreme Court to decide on proposed ballot question Apr 10, 2024

Should public money be used to help build the Oakland A's baseball team a new stadium in Las Vegas? The state's largest teachers union wants to ask voters that question in November. But like so many other proposed initiatives, it's been challenged and appealed up to the Nevada Supreme Court. This week, justices heard oral arguments about the proposed referendum. Host Ben Margiott takes listeners inside the courtroom and interviews Alexander Marks, director of strategy for the Nevada State Education Association, about their 'Schools Over Stadiums' push, the effort to get the referendum on the November ballot and their unlikely alliance with Oakland A's fans.

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Interview with Biden cabinet members plus Nevada legislature election preview Apr 03, 2024

After Pres. Biden's visit to Reno last month, two top Biden cabinet members are in northern Nevada this week. U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona and U.S. Acting Secretary of Labor Julie Su stopped by the studio for a sit-down interview with host Ben Margiott about ongoing FAFSA issues, unemployment, the Baltimore bridge collapse and more. Plus, Nevada Current deputy editor April Corbin Girnus joins to preview some of the critical statehouse elections that will determine if Democrats are able to gain veto-proof supermajorities in Carson City or if Republicans can wrest back some power.

For more on Corbin Girnus' analysis of the statehouse elections, read her two recent pieces in the Nevada Current:

Can Lombardo break the Democrats’ Assembly supermajority? Here’s a look at the terrain.

Only 1 vote shy of a Nevada Senate supermajority, Democrats look to flip a seat (or more)

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What is Question 3? Explaining open primaries and ranked choice voting with the Guinn Center Mar 27, 2024

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 to even more confusion. Before we explore the arguments for and against, we brought in the Guinn Center, Nevada's nonpartisan policy research center. The think tank just released a report explaining Question 3 and asking where Nevadans stand on the issues. Research director Mike Stewart and assistant director Kristine Caliger join the show to explain what Question 3 would do and what their research revealed.

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POTUS visit plus Nevada's top election official explains voter history error Mar 20, 2024

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 website to incorrectly show people as having voted by mail in the presidential preference primary. Aguilar also details why he feels the USPS proposal to send Reno-area mail through a Sacramento distribution facility is problematic for mail ballots.

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Will abortion be on the ballot in November? Mar 13, 2024

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, explains the abortion landscape in Nevada and interviews Jason Guinasso, the attorney representing the Coalition for Parents and Children, which is challenging one of the proposed measures. (Note: Lindsey Harmon, the president of Nevadans for Reproductive Freedom, was not available to do an interview in time for this episode, but her perspective is included through soundbites from an interview after last week's court hearing.)

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Nevada didn’t matter - but it will soon. A conversation with Jon Ralston Mar 06, 2024

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, the U.S. Senate race heating up and the first year of Governor Joe Lombardo’s administration.

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Why is Nevada a toss-up in the 2024 Presidential election? Feb 28, 2024

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,' and our U.S. Senate race that could once again decide control of the chamber.

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Who should draw Nevada’s political maps? Feb 21, 2024

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 hands of politicians and put it into the hands of an independent board. Last week, a judge shot down the proposed ballot questions, but that decision is being appealed to the Nevada Supreme Court. In this episode of Ballot Battleground: Nevada, we talk to the woman running the Fair Maps Nevada PAC behind the ballot questions and the man behind the legal challenge about the ongoing push to change this process and the pushback.

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Caucus recap and Washoe County registrar of voters Cari-Ann Burgess Feb 14, 2024

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 Burgess about why she came back to elections after experiencing burnout in a previous role, lessons learned running an ice cream shop in between jobs and how the primary went for a largely new elections staff in Washoe County.

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Presidential primary recap, plus Jon Ralston on the 'None of these candidates' surprise Feb 07, 2024

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 their experience covering the election on the ground, plus a conversation with Jon Ralston, the CEO of the Nevada Independent, about how that 'none of these candidates' option came to be and how voters have used it in the past.

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Primary. Caucus. Confusion. Explaining the mess with political expert Fred Lokken Jan 31, 2024

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 how you can participate. We also talked about Nevada's diminished national attention this cycle because of the split process.

Presidential preference primary voter guide: https://mynews4.com/news/local/confused-by-nevadas-first-presidential-primary-in-decades-heres-your-voter-guide#

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Ballot Battleground: Nevada Trailer Jan 25, 2024

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.

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