Episodes
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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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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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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 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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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 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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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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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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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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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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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 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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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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