Nevada

Indy Elections: Your mail ballot may already be here – The Nevada Independent

Published

1 year ago

October 8, 2024

Indy Elections: Your mail ballot may already be here – The Nevada Independent

Indy Elections is The Nevada Independent’s newsletter devoted to comprehensive and accessible coverage of the 2024 elections, from the race for the White House to the bid to take control of the Legislature.

In today’s edition: What do progressives think about Vice President Kamala Harris’ presidential campaign? Plus: The political rush to take credit for the United States Postal Service’s decision not to move mail processing to Sacramento, new polling shows Democrats facing increasing headwinds among Latinos and vice presidential hopeful Gov. Tim Walz’s (D-MN) Silver State stop.

The BIG news: Officials are sending out 2024 general election ballots.

Washoe County officials said mail ballots are going out Oct. 9 and will likely arrive in voters’ mailboxes next week. In Clark County, mail ballots are expected to be mailed no later than Oct. 10. Carson City residents have reported receiving their ballots already.

REMINDER: If you are not yet registered to vote and want a mail-in ballot for November, be sure to drop by your local registrar’s office or deliver a voter registration form by Oct. 8. Online registration is also available until Oct. 22 at this link.

And a quick programming note: Thanks to a deluge of election news, we will now publish this newsletter twice weekly. Stay tuned for our Thursday edition.

Click this link to manage your newsletter subscriptions.

We want to hear from you! Send us your questions, comments, observations, jokes or what you think we should be covering or paying attention to. Email your newsletter editor Tabitha Mueller at [email protected].

By the Numbers:

10 days until early voting begins
28 days until Election Day
118 days until the 83rd legislative session

By Eric Neugeboren and Isabella Aldrete

No issue has divided the Democratic Party more this past year than U.S. policy on Israel.

Among the most outspoken progressives has been Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT), who stumped for Vice President Kamala Harris in Las Vegas last week. He called on Nevada progressives to vote for Harris despite President Joe Biden’s stance on Israel’s continued military operations in Gaza in the wake of Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023, attacks.

And judging by conversations The Indy had with attendees, they agreed.

The 10 people that we spoke with all said they were supporting Harris, even though they may not agree with all of her policies. The stakes are too high, they said, to back former President Donald Trump.

However, the economy is top of mind for Nevada voters, and a Bloomberg/Morning Consult poll conducted last month found about two-thirds of Nevada likely voters considered the Israel-Hamas war as important in determining their vote, though that was the second-lowest rate among 20 issues posed to respondents.

Read more here on what Nevada progressives think about Harris’ campaign.

On the Record: Assembly District 25 candidates Selena La Rue Hatch and Diana Sande by Tabitha Mueller

This Washoe County swing district could be critical in determining whether Democrats have a veto-proof supermajority.

Harris campaign courts LDS voters in Nevada, banking on Jan. 6, distaste for Trump by Gabby Birenbaum

Did you know 75 percent of Latter-day Saints identify as Republicans?

Once legislative colleagues, Steven Horsford, John Lee now squaring off for House seat by Gabby Birenbaum

They caucused together in Carson City as Democrats before Lee switched parties.

Democrats call for dismissal of GOP lawsuit alleging noncitizens on Nevada voter rolls by Eric Neugeboren

The lawsuits (and legal updates) just keep coming.

GOP pollster: Harris and Rosen up in Nevada, voter ID in landslide by Isabella Aldrete

Remember: The only poll that matters is the one on Election Day.

Poll: Distrust in U.S. elections remains in Nevada, but state elections seen as fair by Eric Neugeboren

I guess it’s easier to trust geographically closer systems.

Poll: Nevadans of both parties against new tariff hikes; Trump has backed the concept by Gabby Birenbaum

When voters understand the issue …

VP debate takeaways: Vance and Walz keep it civil in a policy-heavy discussion by Bill Barrow, Zeke Miller and Nicholas Riccardi, Associated Press

If you saw the memes but missed the debate, this is the recap for you.

Insider Advantage (Sept. 29-30)

800 likely voters
Margin of error: 3.52 percent
Findings
- Trump 49%, Harris 48%
- Rosen 49%, Brown 42%

The starkest finding in this survey is that Harris is only up 3 percentage points with Hispanic voters — a 23-point drop from Biden’s 2020 total that would likely put Nevada out of play for her. While she is winning independents, the poll also finds that Harris is having trouble consolidating Democratic support — Trump is pulling 13 percent of Democrats.

In the Senate race, Rosen is outperforming fellow Democrat Harris with Hispanic voters (by 7 percentage points), independents (12 percentage points) and voters younger than 39 (25 percentage points.) Shockingly, Rosen is even winning white voters in this survey.

Televisa/Univision (Sept. 17-22)

300 likely Latino voters
Margin of error: 5.7 percent
Findings
- Harris 51%, Trump 39%
- Rosen 54%, Brown 33%

This poll of Latino voters in Nevada shows Harris and Rosen struggling to match the Latino vote share that Biden received in 2020 and Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV) earned in 2022, respectively. That continues a trend we’ve seen for Harris, especially, throughout the cycle in polling. Across surveys, Trump appears poised to improve his margins with Latino voters.

The poll also broke down vote share by whether a respondent predominantly speaks English or Spanish. Contrary to the poll’s findings in other swing states, Harris and Rosen did better among Spanish speakers — by a 4 percentage point margin for Harris and an 8 percentage point margin for Rosen, when compared to those who mainly use English.

— Gabby Birenbaum

AD-NALYSIS OF THE WEEK: The “I took on the Postal Service and won” wars

Rosen and Rep. Mark Amodei (R-NV) are both taking credit for the U.S. Postal Service’s scrapping plans to move mail processing operations from Reno to Sacramento.

In a 30-second spot released last week, Rosen’s ad says she “wasn’t about to let Washington bureaucrats shut down Northern Nevada’s only mail processing facility.” Amodei’s ad on the issue touts “strong work by Nevada’s congressman.”

The Postal Service’s initial effort to move key mail processing operations out of Northern Nevada drew bipartisan condemnation, including a letter from Rosen, Amodei and Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV).

Sam Brown, Rosen’s GOP opponent for Senate, even took credit for being “the first to raise the alarm” on the move (he posted on X the day before the congressional letter was sent).

While it’s unclear what exactly tipped the scales, Congress does not have official authority over the Postal Service, as it’s overseen by the independent Postal Regulatory Commission.

TREND WE’RE FOLLOWING: National Republican Senatorial Committee

Last week, the National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC) — the biggest Republican spender in the Senate race — pulled down about $7 million worth of October ad reservations.

The move is part of a shift in strategy from independent expenditures to joint ad buys with Sam Brown’s campaign — cheaper, given that the group can pay the candidate rate, but somewhat clunky, because they have to give equal time to a national message as the Senate race.

Thus far, we have not seen those joint ad buys come in. For now, there is $18.5 million more in Rosen-aligned future ad buys than Brown has.

ONE OTHER TIDBIT

Nevadans for Reproductive Freedom aired its first Spanish ad last week in favor of Ballot Question 6, which proposes amending the state Constitution to protect abortion. The ad, which will run on Univision and Telemundo, features Angeles, a middle-aged woman who needed a life-saving abortion after doctors found a tumor in her womb. The ballot measure was endorsed by Hispanics in Politics last week.

— Eric Neugeboren, Gabby Birenbaum and Isabella Aldrete

🗳️One heck of a typo — The Nevada Appeal reported that voters in Carson City received mail ballots mistakenly listing Northern Nevada Congressional District 2 candidate Lynn Chapman as a Democrat instead of a member of the Independent American Party. As of Monday morning, the Carson City clerk had not responded to the paper’s request for more details.

💰Adelson, White holding Trump fundraiser — GOP megadonor Miriam Adelson and UFC CEO Dana White are holding a fundraiser for Trump on Friday night, with tickets starting at $1 million.

— Tabitha Mueller and Eric Neugeboren

Tuesday, Oct. 8: Vice presidential hopeful Gov. Tim Walz (D-MN) is holding a Reno campaign fundraiser and rally for the Harris campaign. Last month, the campaign postponed Walz’s rally because of a wildfire in the region.
Tuesday, Oct. 8: Trump campaign hosts a get-out-the-vote rally in Henderson with House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-LA) to encourage early voting.
Thursday, Oct. 10: Univision hosts a town hall with Vice President Kamala Harris in Las Vegas.

— Gabby Birenbaum and Tabitha Mueller

And to ease you into the week, a few “posts” to “X” that caught our eye:

We’ll see you Thursday.

Interested in more newsletters from The Nevada Independent?

Find them all here.

Editor’s note: This story appears in Indy Elections, The Nevada Independent’s newsletter dedicated to comprehensive coverage of the 2024 elections. Sign up for the newsletter here.

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Nevada

Nevada DMV receives nearly 21,000 reports of illegal drivers in two months

Published

2 hours ago

December 20, 2025

Press Room

Nevada DMV receives nearly 21,000 reports of illegal drivers in two months

LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — The Nevada Department of Motor Vehicles has received nearly 21,000 complaints about illegal drivers through its new online reporting portal in just two months, with more than 83 percent of those reports coming from Clark County.

The Registration Spotter tool, launched in October on the DMV’s website, allows residents to report vehicles with no plates, expired or invalid registration, or illegal out-of-state plates. The initiative was part of an effort to address what officials call a pervasive problem affecting road safety and contributing to rising car insurance costs.

WATCH | Plenty of reports, not enough action — what’s the deal?

Nevada DMV receives nearly 21,000 reports of illegal drivers in two months

“It’s everywhere all the time,” said J.D. Decker from the DMV’s Compliance Enforcement Division during a February ride-along.

However, some residents who have filed reports are questioning the effectiveness of the system, like Las Vegas resident Paul who emailed to ask, “Darcy, what’s the deal?”

“I reported a car without plates over two months ago and I still see it parking where I live. Why don’t they investigate? I also see so many cars on the road without plates and even see cops that don’t stop them. Why don’t police stop them?” Paul asked.

KTNV

DMV officials acknowledge that enforcement is lacking. DMV spokesperson Hailey Foster said the agency agrees “this is certainly an issue we, the DMV, would like to see be enforced more.”

The DMV admits it’s still working to distribute data from the online portal to other agencies and cannot guarantee specific action on reports. Foster explained that if a vehicle is parked in someone’s driveway and not being operated, that’s technically legal. Officers need to see the car being driven on streets to issue a citation.

“This takes everybody, and there’s so much of it right now, and it’s going to take all of Nevada law enforcement to address,” Decker said.

The DMV does not track enforcement statistics based on whether action comes from patrol, investigation or complaints submitted by residents, making it impossible to determine how many Registration Spotter tips have led to enforcement action.

But, traffic enforcement overall is increasing. Las Vegas Metropolitan Police made about 82,000 traffic stops this year, according to a Dec. 16 social media post.

A newly formed multi-agency traffic task force, which we told you about on Dec. 8, has logged 26 registration violations and 14 insurance violations since its formation, though their primary focus is on dangerous driving.

We also asked other agencies for their enforcement statistics over the last two months. North Las Vegas Police said, “While NLVPD does not receive or track the individual public-submitted reports sent directly to the DMV as part of that program, we are able to provide our department’s registration-related enforcement statistics during the same general timeframe.

For the period October 1, 2025 through December 18, 2025, North Las Vegas Police Department officers issued:

557 citations
601 total offenses related to registration and license plate violations

These offenses include, but are not limited to:

Failure to possess or surrender certificate of registration
Improper display of license plates
Operating a vehicle without valid Nevada vehicle registration

Henderson Police citations from 10/01/2025 – 12/17/2025:

Operate vehicle w/expired registration or plates: 214

Operate unregistered vehicle-trailer or semi trailer: 84

Display fictitious vehicle registration/plate/title: 8

Fail to obtain and properly display permit to operate unregistered vehicle: 3

Operate unregistered moped: 1

Rear license plate lamp violation: 1

License plates improperly displayed: 1

Nevada State Police was only able to provide citation information for the month of October.

Nevada Highway Patrol statewide citation information:

Total citations issued: 12,962

Registration-related citations: 1,475

All other citations: 11,487

Statement from the Department:

“The Nevada State Police Highway Patrol Division recognizes public interest related to unregistered vehicles and has and will continue to enforce all traffic laws on Nevada’s roadways, including laws related to vehicle registration. Enforcement of unregistered vehicles has long been part of routine traffic enforcement efforts statewide. As with all enforcement activity, the Nevada Highway Patrol prioritizes public safety and responds based on observed violations, calls for service, and operational considerations, including impaired driving and other serious safety concerns. Traffic enforcement is continuous and ongoing, and troopers take appropriate enforcement action when unregistered vehicles are encountered during patrol or traffic stops. The Nevada Highway Patrol strongly encourages drivers to ensure their vehicles are properly registered in accordance with Nevada law.”

The DMV is asking each law enforcement agency in the state to increase enforcement of the types of violations reported through Registration Spotter. DMV officials say the best outcome would be for each agency to conduct their own enforcement patrols and crack down on these violations.

Wondering what the deal is with something happening in the valley? Reach out to Darcy Spears at Darcy.Spears@ktnv.com.

This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.

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Nevada

Outdoor tourism grows in Nevada despite Las Vegas Strip visitor decline

Published

14 hours ago

December 20, 2025

Press Room

Outdoor tourism grows in Nevada despite Las Vegas Strip visitor decline

LAS VEGAS (FOX5) — While Strip tourism declined this year, outdoor recreation across Nevada continues to grow, with some areas seeing increased business and new facilities opening to accommodate visitors.

Valley of Fire State Park reached 1 million visitors this year and recently opened a new $30 million visitors center. Lake Mead National Recreation Area also continues to draw tourists, including those taking holiday-themed rafting tours through Black Canyon.

Chad Taylor, director of operations for the Hospitality Division of Guest Services and Hoover Dam Rafting Adventures, calls outdoor recreation an “enormous” boost for the state economy.

Last month, the Nevada Division of Outdoor Recreation (NDOR) released an Economic Impact Analysis finding that outdoor recreation is a $24 billion industry in Nevada, generating $13.7 billion in total economic output, supporting more than 75,000 jobs, and contributing $8.8 billion to the state’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

NDOR reports outdoor recreation has officially surpassed the mining industry in GDP contribution and is rapidly becoming a cornerstone of Nevada’s economic diversification strategy.

The Hoover Dam Rafting Adventure, which has operated for more than four decades, saw slightly lower numbers this year for its 12-mile Colorado River tours starting at the base of the dam. Taylor said the rafting business typically follows Las Vegas tourism trends.

“As Las Vegas tourism increases or decreases, we typically see the same out here for the tour specifically,” Taylor said.

However, other outdoor properties showed growth. Taylor said Lake Mead properties, including Callville Bay, Cottonwood Cove, and Temple Bar, saw increased business this year.

Taylor, who sits on the governor’s advisory board for outdoor tourism, said the state is investing heavily in outdoor recreation infrastructure. Nevada is building Adventure Centers in Northern Nevada and Southern Nevada.

The Southern Nevada Adventure Center, under construction in Boulder City, will serve as a one-stop shop for booking outdoor activities. The facility is expected to open in summer 2026.

“Not only at the federal level, but the state level, the amount of energy and effort that they’ve put into outdoor recreation over the last few years, especially when it comes to the two new adventure centers that they’re building in Northern Nevada and Southern Nevada, they’re doubling down on outdoor recreation,” Taylor said.

The Hoover Dam rafting company continues its holiday-themed tours with Santa through Christmas Eve.

The Hoover Dam rafting company continues its holiday-themed tours with Santa through Christmas Eve.(FOX5)

Reservations can be made at hooverdamraftingadventures.com or by calling (800) 455-3490.

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Nevada

Bill by Nevada’s Amodei to ramp up mining on public land passes House

Published

1 day ago

December 19, 2025

Press Room

Bill by Nevada’s Amodei to ramp up mining on public land passes House

The U.S. House passed a bill Thursday put forward by Nevada Rep. Mark Amodei that would reinvigorate mining activity on federal lands.

Amodei, a Republican who represents the state’s top half, described the bill as strengthening the nation’s mineral supply chain and helping to counter China’s dominance with minerals.

“Western states are sitting on a wealth of resources and a critical opportunity to break our dangerous reliance on foreign adversaries while powering our own economy,” he said in a statement.

“The Mining Regulatory Clarity Act … gives domestic mining operations the certainty they need to compete aggressively and win.”

The bill passed 219 to 198. Republicans voted 210 in favor, 1 opposed and 9 not voting. Democrats voted 9 in favor, 197 opposed and 7 not voting. It was one of the House’s last actions before adjourning for the year.

Nevada delegation split on mining bill

Amodei was joined by Las Vegas Democrat Steven Horsford, who co-sponsored the bill in the House.

“Streamlining the hardrock mining process will create good jobs and strengthen our energy sector,” Horsford said.

The state’s other two House members — Democrats Susie Lee and Dina Titus — voted in opposition.

Titus spokesperson Dick Cooper told the Reno Gazette Journal that the congresswoman voted no because the bill would allow for increased dumping of mine waste on public lands.

“It would also allow mining companies to gain permanent rights to occupy public lands and preclude other uses including recreational and cultural uses,” he added.

It now heads to the Senate, where Nevada Democrat Catherine Cortez Masto will work to get it passed.

“This bill is common sense, and it’s key for communities across Nevada that count on mining for their livelihoods,” Cortez Masto said in a social media post.

Sen. Jacky Rosen of Nevada, a Democrat, also supports it. She helped introduce the Senate companion version of Amodei’s bill.

“Nevada is one of the few places in the United States with an abundance of critical minerals and a robust hardrock mining industry,” Rosen said. “The responsible mining of these minerals supports thousands of jobs and will help to strengthen our domestic manufacturing and clean energy supply chains.”

What does Amodei’s Mining Regulatory Clarity Act do?

The bill is a response to a 2022 decision by the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals involving the Rosemont Copper Mine in Arizona.

The decision basically meant that mining companies must prove valuable minerals exist on a piece of land before they can dump waste material on it. Called the “mineral validity” requirement, it disrupted decades of precedent.

Amodei’s bill would reverse that and allow the practice to resume of using nearby land for mining waste without proving the land contains commercial deposits — something mining companies say is essential for operating on federal land.

“This legislation ensures the fundamental ability to conduct responsible mining activities on federal lands,” said Rich Nolan, National Mining Association president and CEO, in a statement. “Regulatory certainty, or the lack thereof, will either underpin or undermine efforts to decisively confront our minerals crisis.”

The bill also creates an “Abandoned Hardrock Mine Fund.” Some fees related to mining claims will be used to fund a program to inventory, assess and clean up abandoned hardrock mines.

Environmental groups blast House vote on Mining Regulatory Clarity Act

Some environmental groups campaigned against the bill and described it as choosing corporate interests over people, Native Americans’ rights and the environment.

Lauren Pagel, policy director for Earthworks, said the bill “will remove already-scarce protections for natural resources and sacred cultural sites in U.S. mining law.”

The Center for Biological Diversity said the bill surrenders public lands to mining conglomerates.

“The so-called Mining Regulatory Clarity Act would bypass the validity requirement and grant mining companies — including foreign companies — the statutory right to permanently occupy and indiscriminately use public lands upon approval of a company’s self-written plan of operations,” said the nonprofit conservation organization in an online post.

Mark Robison is the state politics reporter for the Reno Gazette Journal, with occasional forays into other topics. Email comments to mrobison@rgj.com or comment on Mark’s Greater Reno Facebook page.

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