The Clark County Commission is one of the most influential governing bodies in Nevada.With an $11 billion budget and a staff of more than 10,000, the commission makes decisions on everything from zoning to public safety, decisions that affect the lives of Clark County's nearly 2.5 million residents. It's also the home of the gaming industry, the most powerful industry in the state. 

District F reflects the county's many facets. It covers parts of wealthy Summerlin, fast-growing Chinatown, more rustic Blue Diamond and much of the broad swaths of rural land leading up to Red Rock National Conservation Area. 

The economically and culturally diverse district is currently led by Commissioner Justin Jones (D), who's decided not to run again. The open seat is a rare opportunity to change the political composition of the largely Democratic commission. 

If Assm. Heidi Kasama (R-Las Vegas) is triumphant, she'll be the second Republican on the commission, joining Commissioner April Becker. A win for former state Sen. Becky Harris, the first woman to chair the powerful Nevada Gaming Control Board, would make her the commission's first nonpartisan member. Minja Yan, a progressive Democrat who beat out other establishment-backed candidates in the primary, echoes the talking points of many young left-leaning candidates around the country.

November will determine which candidate will join the six other commissioners in steering the region. 

The candidates 

Born in New York, Kasama, 67, is a second-generation Norwegian immigrant who spent much of her early life in Seattle. 

Kasama has lived in Southern Nevada for more than 20 years, working as an accountant and real estate agent before joining the Assembly in 2020. She previously ran for Congress against Rep. Susie Lee (D-NV) in the 3rd Congressional District before dropping out. 

Kasama said her policy priorities are cutting government red tape, supporting law enforcement and lowering housing costs. 

She's been endorsed by Gov. Joe Lombardo (R), former County Commissioner Bruce Woodbury (R), current County Commissioner April Becker, the Las Vegas Police Protective Association, Clark County Firefighters – International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF) Local 1908 as well as several Assembly members. 

Yan, 31, is also a real estate agent and has a master's degree in real estate from New York University. Originally from Guangzhou, China, Yan's family moved to the United States when she was around 10. She grew up in southwest Las Vegas and graduated from UNLV in 2016 with a degree in accounting.

Yan's primary win came as a surprise to some. She had little name recognition and did not accept donations from corporate donors. However, she bested Minddie Lloyd, who had been endorsed by Commissioners Jones and Tick Segerblom as well as other prominent local Democratic figures. Another candidate, attorney Lenna Hovanessian, was endorsed by Rep. Dina Titus (D-NV). 

Yan's platform includes improving transportation infrastructure in Clark County, changing zoning laws to boost development for affordable housing, bringing new healthcare opportunities to Clark County and providing more mental healthcare support to tackle homelessness. 

She's been endorsed by Teamsters Nevada, Service Employees International Union Local 1107, Make the Road Action Nevada, the Sierra Club Toiyabe Chapter, International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees Local 720 and Nevada Voters Alliance. 

Harris is a gaming law expert and attorney who serves as a distinguished fellow at UNLV. She joined the state Senate in 2014, stepping down after four years to become the first female chair of the Nevada Gaming Control Board. She subsequently served in the Assembly, changing her registration from Republican to nonpartisan shortly before announcing her run for Clark County District F.

Harris said she was looking for a strong advocate for District F and realized she could be that person. 

"I didn't feel that my needs and concerns were going to be adequately represented. And I decided it was time to step up," Harris told The Nevada Independent. "It wasn't a calculated thing; it was very much that my grandchildren live in my commission district." 

Harris' prime political concerns are addressing the high cost of living, improving safety in the District F neighborhood and making sure infrastructure is keeping pace with growth.

Her endorsements include Ironworkers Local 433, the Forward Party, American Federation of Government Employees, Clark County Firefighters – IAFF Local 1908 as well as Nevada Veterans United. 

Comparing the candidates' views

The Nevada Independent is taking a new approach to inform readers about the candidates running for local government: A survey asking candidates to rate their agreement with a series of policy statements, with the option to elaborate on their answers. They were asked to rate their agreement on a scale of strongly agree, agree, neutral, disagree, or strongly disagree.

Use the tool below to see how the Clark County District F candidates responded. (Note: Yan's comments have been cut down for word count.)