A majority of Nevada voters rejected Question 3 on the Nov. 5 ballot. This complex amendment would have eliminated party primaries, advanced five candidates to general elections and introduced a new voting method in general elections

I moved to Nevada in 2021 to care for my aging mother. Before that time, I lived in Maine, where I led efforts that opened Maine’s primaries to all voters and protected the nation’s first statewide ranked-choice voting law.

My values and experience inform me that initiatives to change how we elect our leaders should make their way to voters as the result of home-grown and grassroots movements that are thoughtful, collaborative, strategic and patient.

I am dumbfounded that out-of-state donors and advocates would come into Nevada, steamroll stakeholders and potential allies, rush a constitutional amendment to ballot and spend millions to score a quick win for their preferred policy prescription to our political ills.

As a recent Review-Journal editorial noted, the national coalition behind Question 3 pushed similar initiatives in other states in 2024. Voters rejected each of these proposals.

Here are a few of my takeaways from these failed efforts:

■ Mission and strategy must align. Election reform is inherently hopeful and optimistic. Ramming through policy changes and seeking to buy elections are anti-democratic and deeply cynical approaches to politics. Coalitions with antithetical missions and strategies will almost always fail to achieve the real and lasting change that they seek.

■ Patience is practical. Process matters. How change is made can be as important as what change is made, especially when it comes to process reforms. Elections and voting reform initiatives must be organized by local leaders who will build coalitions and recruit volunteers to secure majority support for their cause, one voter and one conversation at a time. The proper role of national groups is not to lead or dictate, but to support.

■ There is no single solution to fix our broken politics. There are 50 states and more than 50 ways of conducting elections and voting in the United States. While policymakers and advocates should learn from one another, we should be skeptical of anyone or any group that promises a silver bullet or pushes a one-size-fits-all solution.

Voters aren’t stupid. We have a sense when politicians and special interests are trying to put one over on us. Question 3 didn’t pass the straight-face test.

That’s too bad because my experience with ranked-choice voting in Maine has taught me that it works to eliminate vote-splitting and ensure majority winners. You have the freedom to vote for the candidate you like best without worrying that your vote will be “wasted” or that you will help to elect the candidate you like least. In both Maine and Alaska, ranked-choice voting has stopped extreme candidates from winning congressional races.

Ranked-choice voting also increases voter turnout, reduces negative campaigning and encourages more women and minorities to run for office.

Surveys from the states and cities in which millions of Americans rank their vote indicate that voters find it to be simple and easy to use and preferable.

One of the most disappointing false attacks on ranked-choice voting is that communities of color might find it difficult to rank candidates. To suggest that white voters are intellectually superior to voters of color is a racist argument.

Nevadans are frustrated with politics as usual. We know that our system isn’t working like it should. We know that billionaires and corporations have too much power and influence over decisions that affect us all. We want to strengthen our democracy for future generations.

Had the national advocates behind Question 3 approached this effort differently, I believe that there might have been a different outcome.

Kyle Bailey moved to Nevada in 2021 and previously served in the Maine House of Representatives.

The Nevada state high school football championships are here. Here’s how you can watch any of the championship games online on NFHS network.

Watch: Nevada High School football championships

The NIAA state football championships will air from Nov. 23 to Nov. 26 in Las Vegas, Nevada.

How can I watch Nevada high school football? Fans can subscribe to NFHS Sports Network, a nationwide streaming platform for more than 9,000 high school sports. You can find the list of available schools here.

How much does an NFHS subscription cost? Is there a free trial to NFHS Network? An annual subscription costs $79.99, or you can pay monthly for $11.99 per month.

Can you watch NFHS on your phone or TV? NFHS Network is available on smart TVs like Apple TV, Roku, Amazon Fire and Google Chromecast, as well as on iOS and Android smartphones.

Nov. 23:

10 a.m. PT: 2024 NIAA 2A Football Championship Incline Vs. Pershing County

1:30 p.m. PT: 2024 NIAA 5A Div. II Football Championship Faith Lutheran Vs. Bishop Manogue

Nov. 25:

Noon PT: 2024 NIAA 5A Div. III Football Championship Galena Vs. Centennial

Nov. 26:

9 a.m. PT: 2024 NIAA 1A Football Championship Pahranagat Valley Vs. Tonopah

12:20 p.m. PT: 2024 NIAA 3A Football Championship Truckee Vs. SLAM Nevada

3:40 p.m. PT: 2024 NIAA 4A Football Championship Canyon Springs Vs. Mojave

7 p.m. PT: 2024 NIAA 5A Div. I Football Championship Arbor View Vs. Bishop Gorman

Thank you for relying on us to provide the journalism you can trust.

RENO, Nev. (Nevada Athletics) – Nevada women’s basketball returned home after two weeks of being way, hosting Weber State, where Lexie Givens jumped to eighth all-time in rebounds in the 66-62 loss to the Wildcats.

Givens recorded 12 rebounds on the night, bumping her to eighth in the Nevada women’s basketball record book after tying ninth last season. With her rebounds, combined with 10 points, Givens got her first double-double of the season. 

The first half started out strong for the Wolf Pack as they scored the first points off of free throws by Dymonique Maxie.

Nevada only gave up the lead once in the opening quarter, which it quickly got back and maintained throughout the remainder of the first 10.

Quarter two began with the Pack up 17-9.

The lead stayed with Nevada through five minutes, with Weber State slowly cutting into it. With 5:13 left in the half, the game was tied at 23. Nevada then found itself playing from behind for the rest of the quarter, trailing 40-27 heading into the break.

In the third quarter, Nevada began its comeback, cutting a once 15-point Wildcat lead down to just six. An eight-point run by the Wolf Pack allowed them to get back into it, beginning with free throws by Rakiyah Jackson. She was followed by back-to-back layups, scored first by Audrey Roden and then Izzy Sullivan.

Givens capped off the run with two more made free throws.

Weber State extended its lead a bit heading into the fourth, Nevada down, 51-43.

The final 10 saw the Wolf Pack’s first lead since the second quarter. Nevada inched its way back in front after a three-pointer by Roden, putting the Pack up, 57-56, with just over five minutes remaining in the game.

Nevada tried to keep the lead, but was unable to hold on, dropping the hard-fought battle to Weber State.

Roden, Maxie and Jackson all led the team with 11 points a piece. Jackson also recorded seven rebounds, followed by Olivia Poulivaati with six. Maxie led both teams in steals with a season high of five.

Nevada will remain at home to take on Morgan State on Sunday at 1 PM.

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