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Group backing energy choice ballot question reserves $10 million in television ads

Riley Snyder
Riley Snyder
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The expensive political fight over a major energy-related ballot question is getting another eight-figure jolt of advertising dollars.

Nevadans for Energy Freedom, the group backing the Energy Choice Initiative, is reserving $10 million in television advertising for the ballot question between Labor Day and Election Day in November. The ballot question, which is largely being bankrolled by the Las Vegas Sands and Switch, would require Nevada to drop its current electric monopoly model and switch to a competitive market where multiple companies could buy and sell electricity by 2023.

The news comes nearly a month after the group opposing the ballot question — Coalition to Defeat Question 3 — announced it would reserve $12 million in television ads ahead of the 2018 general election. The group, which is backed by NV Energy, has previously promised to spend up to $30 million to defeat the ballot measure.

“Having the right to simply choose your energy provider is too important to Nevada than to let NV Energy try to fool voters with a $30 million scare tactic campaign using ratepayer money,” spokesman Bradley Mayer said in a statement. “Our coalition of almost 1,000 small businesses, renewable energy companies and the 72 percent of voters who support our measure is committed to ensuring Nevadans have the facts about lower rates, more renewables and more jobs that will come with energy choice.”

A poll by The Nevada Independent conducted in April found voters supported the measure on a 54 to 16 percent split, with 30 percent undecided. The measure, which needs to pass in two successive elections to become part of the state constitution, was approved on a massive 72 to 28 percent vote in 2016.

Disclosure: NV Energy and Switch have donated to The Nevada Independent. You can see a full list of donors here.

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