Do Democrats have a supermajority in the Nevada Legislature?
NO
Nevada Democrats have a supermajority in the state Assembly, but not in the Senate.
A supermajority is achieved when one party holds two-thirds of the seats in a legislative body.
In the 2022 midterm elections, Democrats gained one seat in the Senate and two in the Assembly. They now hold 28 of the Assembly’s 42 seats — a bare supermajority. In contrast, Democrats hold 13 of the Senate’s 21 seats — one short of a supermajority.
With the election of Republican Gov. Joe Lombardo in 2022, Nevada has a split government. Because Democrats do not have a supermajority in both chambers, they are unable to override a gubernatorial veto.
Democrats also cannot raise state taxes without a two-thirds vote in the Nevada Legislature, as stipulated in a constitutional amendment approved by Nevada voters in 1994.
This Fact Brief is responsive to conversations such as this one.
Sources
Ballotpedia Nevada State Legislature
Nevada Legislature Vetoes
Ballotpedia Nevada Legislative Supermajority for Tax Increases, Question 11 (1994)
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