RENO, Nev. (News 4 & Fox 11) — A wrinkle in Nevada’s election laws means the Republican primary for Washoe County District Attorney in 2026 is a winner-take-all contest — whoever wins the GOP primary will appear on the November general election ballot unopposed and win the seat outright.

Only two Republicans tossed their hats in the ring — incumbent Chris Hicks and Sparks city attorney Wes Duncan. And because no Democrats, nonpartisans or third-party candidates filed to run, the GOP primary will determine the next district attorney.

Washoe DA GOP primary is winner-take-all because of 2015 law signed by Gov. Sandoval

FULL RACE PREVIEW: Washoe County DA race: GOP primary between Hicks, Duncan will decide next top prosecutor

The unusual dynamic leaves over two-thirds of the Washoe County electorate with no say whatsoever in selecting the county’s top prosecutor for the next four years. So why is it this way?

It’s not because of a decades-old provision in Nevada Revised Statutes, rather an intentional law change passed in 2015 and signed by then-Gov. Brian Sandoval.

Prior to 2015, if only one major party had candidates file for an office, there was no primary contest under Nevada law. Instead, all of that party’s candidates automatically advanced to the general election, where voters from all parties would select the winner.

But in 2015, Senate Bill 499 changed all of that. SB 499, sponsored by the Senate Committee on Legislative Operations and Elections, originally sought to create a top-three open primary with ranked choice voting in the general, said Doug Goodman, founder and executive director of Nevadans for Election Reform.

Goodman, who supports increasing participation for Nevada’s growing nonpartisan voting bloc, initially backed that legislation. But on amendment, those provisions were stripped out entirely and replaced with entirely different language.

Under the amended bill, a party primary must be held regardless of the number of candidates. That primary contest would determine the party’s one nominee, who would advance to the general election unopposed.

It received unanimous bipartisan support in the Nevada Senate and passed with a two-thirds majority in the Nevada Assembly. 14 Assembly Republicans voted no on Senate Bill 499, but it passed anyways and was signed into law by Gov. Sandoval.

TMCC political science professor Fred Lokken told News 4-Fox 11 he believes it’s created an undemocratic scenario.

I see this as the most undemocratic concept of elections that has ever been perpetrated.

“It’s done in a number of states, Nevada’s not the only one, but a primary is not a deciding election. There should be no decision for the fall election made months in advance when voters aren’t paying attention,” Lokken said. “It’s all in favor of the parties. It cuts down in those elections, the notion that they have to go through another round.”

In contrast, many others would argue that only a party’s voters should be able to select a party’s nominee.

Attempts to undo this change have been unsuccessful. In 2019, Assembly Bill 259 would’ve reversed that provision of the 2015 legislation — it passed in the Assembly 30-10 but never came up for a vote in the Senate that year.

Another possible solution would be to make countywide offices such as district attorney, clerk and assessor nonpartisan contests. Lokken even floated that such positions should be appointed.

“I really hope that the 2027 (Nevada) legislature is willing to reopen this and consider fixing it. A partial open primary makes a whole lot of sense, and not allowing it to be the decision-maker makes a lot of difference … I would suggest that a lot of these positions should be appointed, not elected. There are too many elections.”

Email reporter Ben Margiott at bjmargiott@sbgtv.com. Follow @BenMargiott on X and Ben Margiott KRNV on Facebook.

Serving as a home away from home, Hillel of Northern Nevada is a space that allows students at the University of Nevada, Reno to be together, rooted in their culture.  

When students start college, they not only leave their homes and families, they also leave behind their communities, routines and direct support systems. 

“Hillel of Northern Nevada allows students to be together, rooted in a familiar culture and religion. Whether it’s for a holiday celebration or simply to laugh and enjoy each other’s company,” Hannah Alterwitz, director of Hillel of Northern Nevada, said.  

The organization, which is the Northern Nevada chapter of Hillel International, the largest Jewish campus organization in the world, hosts a variety of events throughout the year, including social outings like ice skating, mini golf and craft nights, alongside cultural and religious celebrations for Shabbat and the High Holidays. 

“Hillel serves as a place for Jewish students to belong. We are a social organization. We are a pluralistic group, meaning no matter how someone practices Judaism, they will always be welcome at Hillel,” Alterwitz said.  

One event that stood out to Alterwitz this semester was a campus visit from U.S. Senator Jacky Rosen, where students had the opportunity to ask questions and participate in deeper discussions about issues affecting students and the broader Nevada community. 

“It was so impactful on the students to be able to talk openly with the Senator about the problems communities are facing every day. Students asked about ICE, AI data centers, and the rise of antisemitism across the country. To watch them have a real dialogue and come away from that conversation curious and motivated to help tackle the issues facing our country was really special,” Alterwitz said.

As Jewish American Heritage Month came to an end in May, Hillel of Northern Nevada continues building community around campus throughout the year.  Alterwitz invites anyone who is interested in Jewish heritage to check the organization out.

“I hope that if a student takes anything away from this, it’s that Hillel is a place where Jewish students and those interested in Jewish culture can come and meet some great people and have some fun! Jews are not a monolith; we have lots of different opinions and backgrounds. It is such a diverse religion, but if you like good food, good friends, and Jewish culture, Hillel has a place for you,” Alterwitz said.

To learn about upcoming events and opportunities to get involved, go to @hillelofnorthernnevada on Instagram or reach out to Hannah directly at hannah.alterwitz@jewishnevada.org.