2026Election Stories

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Politicians are reporting more harassment. Just ask candidates in Washoe County races.
By Carly SauvageauWashoe County Commissioner Mariluz Garcia says she expected some mudslinging when she ran for her District 3 seat as a Democrat in the 2022 election. What she didn't expect was the severe harassment.

Opponents, represented by a group of Nevada and Washington, D.C.-based attorneys who typically champion Democrat-backed causes, had compared voter ID requirements to an unconstitutional poll tax.

Top GOP super PAC not spending in Vegas-area House races, breaking from past cycles
By Gabby BirenbaumA House Republican leadership-connected super PAC has announced its initial fall ad reservations — a sizable $141 million buy across the nation. But Las Vegas, a market that it has poured millions into in prior cycles, was left out.

Allegations of inappropriate sexual behavior are notable given that the Legislature has weathered its own share of sexual harassment allegations.

GOP pollster: Sam Brown still leads Nevada Senate primary in internal poll despite Gunter's late push
By Gabby BirenbaumWith three weeks to go until the June primary election, Nevada Senate candidate Sam Brown is supported by more than half of Republican primary voters and has a 38 percentage point lead over his next closest opponent, according to a new internal poll commissioned by the Brown campaign and shared with The Nevada Independent.

Abortion rights activists believe they have enough signatures to get measure on ballot
By Kelsea FrobesGroup awaits signature verification after submitting more than twice the number needed for ballot proposal to enshrine rights into the state's Constitution.

Why housing? It's the rare cost of living issue that voters seem to reward Democrats on. In an April poll conducted by Emerson College and The Hill, housing was ranked as Nevada voters' number four issue, behind only the economy, immigration and education.

Anatomy of a political breakup: Why the Culinary Union unendorsed Democratic lawmakers
By Tabitha MuellerWhile the union has diverged from Democrats on other issues, recent tensions stem from the repeal of a 2020 COVID-era law that mandated frequent room cleaning.

Clark, Washoe election officials hope new technology will speed up ballot processing pace
By Eric NeugeborenClark County is upping its number of mail ballot counters and flash drive readers. Washoe County plans to use a new vote sorting device in November to automatically check signatures.

Las Vegas mayoral candidate Shelley Berkley's campaign manager Tom Letizia called opponent and city Councilwoman Victoria Seaman a "bitch" to her face after a debate last week, according to a video obtained by The Nevada Independent.

Las Vegas mayoral candidates debate policy, defend records at Nevada Independent forum
By Eric NeugeborenFormer U.S. Rep. Shelley Berkley (D-NV), City Councilwoman Victoria Seaman and City Councilman Cedric Crear debated their qualifications, proposed city policies and leadership visions

Culinary Union un-endorses 17 lawmakers running for re-election over room cleaning bill
By Tabitha Mueller It marks the most public split yet between legislative Democrats and the labor group widely considered to be one of the most politically powerful in Nevada.

Will rising antisemitism, Israel conflict help (or hurt) only female Jewish US senator?
By Gabby BirenbaumHow does Brown win over Jewish voters — already a difficult task given their status as one of the most consistently liberal identity groups in the U.S. — when their current senator shares their faith?

Biden campaign asks court to dismiss GOP lawsuit challenging Nevada mail ballot deadline
By Gabby BirenbaumThe Biden campaign is getting involved in another Nevada election lawsuit, challenging the legal merit and intent of a Republican effort to object to the deadline for how long mail ballots can be accepted after Election Day in the Silver State.

Tracking Nevada's 2024 ballot measures: From A's to abortion rights
By Eric NeugeborenThere are 10 potential ballot questions that may end up before Nevada voters this year or in 2026, but a key signature deadline is June 26 and some initiatives are in legal jeopardy.

Nevada Supreme Court weighs whether proposed voter ID ballot measure amounts to poll tax
By Eric NeugeborenA lower court ruled in February that the proposal was conditional, but the case has been appealed to the high court, with lawyers arguing it contains an unfunded mandate.

After restructuring, are Nevada ranked-choice ballot measure backers ready for 2024?
By Tabitha Mueller, Eric NeugeborenA new PAC pre-booked more than $9.4 million in ad buys in Las Vegas, Reno and on Satellite from Sept. 10 to Nov. 5, 2024.

ACLU suing Elko County over compliance with jail voting law
By Eric NeugeborenThe ACLU of Nevada is alleging that Elko County has failed to comply with nine provisions of a 2023 law requiring jails to facilitate voting for detainees who are eligible to cast a ballot.

The Biden campaign is filing an amicus brief Monday to support Nevada's secretary of state in a lawsuit the Republican National Committee brought against the state over alleged inaccuracies in the voter rolls.

Most Nevada GOP candidates mum on election integrity after 'Big Lie' was prominent in 2022
By Eric NeugeborenAlmost all the GOP candidates running for the Legislature or Congress in Nevada are not running on election integrity. In 2022, the GOP nominees for key statewide races echoed election conspiracies.