LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — Nevada voters will see a total of seven questions on the November ballot, some to give tax breaks, others to amend the Constitution and one that would radically overhaul the way we vote.
Here's a guide to some of the ballot questions you'll be asked to decide next month:
1. Question 1: This measure, placed on the ballot by the Legislature, would remove the Board of Regents of the Nevada System of Higher Education from the state constitution, and place it in the Nevada Revised Statutes instead.
But that bureaucratic explanation covers a power struggle between state lawmakers and the regents that has simmered for years in Carson City and in the courts.
According to state lawmakers, regents use their exalted status in the constitution (where they are empowered to "control and manage the affairs of the University") as a way to avoid legislative oversight and investigation. If the regents were removed from the constitution and had their duties in state law, then the Legislature would have greater control over the system.
If you think this issue sounds familiar, you're not imagining things. The Legislature put the same question to voters in 2020, where it was narrowly rejected by a margin of just less than 4,000 votes out of more than 1 million cast.
Undeterred, lawmakers began the process of putting it back on the ballot for this year.
The regents believe the measure is a power grab by the Legislature that could threaten their proper constitutional role overseeing the state's colleges and universities and might even threaten academic freedom. The arguments against passage suggest that the Legislature would not be any better at managing university policy than the regents have been.
A yes vote would take the regents out of the constitution; a no vote would retain them in that document.
Question 2: This measure would make changes to the language in the state constitution that refers to people with disabilities, updating 1800s-era terms with more modern words.
"Insane" for example, would be changed to "persons with significant mental illness." The term "blind" would be recast as "persons who are blind or visually impaired." And "deaf and dumb" would instead become "persons who are deaf or hard of hearing."
A yes vote would amend the constitution; a no vote would leave it intact.
Question 3: This measure would make significant changes to the way Nevadans cast their votes for U.S. senators, U.S. representatives, the governor, lieutenant governor, treasurer, controller, secretary of state, attorney general and state lawmakers
First, it would change Nevada's current closed primary system to allow all voters — regardless of political party — to cast ballots in primary elections.
Currently, you have to be a Republican to vote in a Republican primary or a Democrat to vote in a Democratic primary.
Nonpartisan voters and members of third parties are excluded from primary elections, except for nonpartisan offices such as city council, school board trustee or judges.
With the primary open to all voters, the top five vote-getters would then advance to the general election. There, voters would be asked to rank them in order of preference, one through five.
If a candidate gets to 50%, that person is declared the winner. But if no candidate gets 50%, then the candidate with the fewest overall votes is dropped, and all of that person's second-choice votes are tallied and distributed among the remaining four candidates. The process repeats until one candidate reaches the 50% threshold.
Proponents say Question 3 will produce more moderate candidates since would-be officeholders would have to appeal to a wider swath of voters in the primary instead of just catering to the more hard-core elements of a party's base, as often happens now.
They also note that the winner of any race would have at least 50% support, unlike now, when candidates for statewide office including governors, members of Congress and statewide office holders have won races with less than a majority.
Opponents say the measure will weaken established political parties, depriving members of the right to choose their preferred representative. (To be sure, both major parties in Nevada oppose Question 3.)
Opponents also maintain the changes will be confusing to voters and may end up disenfranchising people.
If you choose only one candidate, for example, and that person is dropped for lack of votes, your ballot will be exhausted and not counted further.
And, they say, the change will be enshrined in the constitution and take at least five years to change if voters decide they don't like the new method.
Question 3 came about as a result of a voter initiative. It was approved in 2022 by a vote of 53% to 47%, and if approved again, will take effect starting with the primary in June 2026.
A yes vote would approve the switch to open primaries and ranked-choice voting; a no vote would leave the current system intact.
For a breakdown of questions 4-7, turn in to Channel 13 on Wednesday, Oct. 9.
For more information on all ballot questions, you can read the secretary of state's official guide here.
If you have a question about politics, elections or government, or you have seen an ad you'd like us to check, you can Ask Steve at ktnv.com/asksteve. He will endeavor to answer your questions on air or online.
