Nevada
NEVADA VIEWS: Strengthening democracy
With the primary election behind us and the general election fewer than five months away, we stand at a critical juncture in the history of our republic. The cornerstone of our nation’s strength lies in the integrity of our electoral process. Yet, recent years have seen a troubling erosion of trust in our elections. It’s vital that every Nevadan recognize the importance of upholding confidence in the 2024 election.
In a democracy, the legitimacy of our government derives from the consent of the governed. When citizens lose faith in the electoral system, the very foundation of our republic is compromised. Trust in the electoral process is not merely a matter of convenience or partisan advantage — it is fundamental to the functioning of our democratic institutions. Without it, the fabric of our society frays, and the bonds of citizenship weaken.
Nevadans must reject the corrosive rhetoric that seeks to undermine our democratic institutions. We must stand united in defense of the integrity of our elections, regardless of party affiliation. That’s why we are proud to stand with RightCount, a Republican-led entity that is committed to restoring trust in our elections. With RightCount’s help, we will dig into the questions and concerns Nevadans have and shine a light on the vote-counting process. The strength of our democracy lies in our ability to come together as a community and uphold the principles that bind us as Americans.
Nevada has a rich history of civic engagement and participation. From the silver mines of the Comstock Lode to the bustling streets of Las Vegas, our state has been shaped by the contributions of generations of hardworking and patriotic Nevadans. At the heart of our shared heritage is a commitment to democracy and the rule of law. This year’s upcoming elections present us with an opportunity to reaffirm our commitment to free and fair elections. Nevadans will likely determine not only who will win the White House, but also which party will control the U.S. Senate next year — the eyes of the country will be upon us in November. At the state level we will decide whether or not Gov. Joe Lombardo’s veto can be sustained by electing more Republicans to the Legislature.
And while our state as a whole has an interest in serving as a model for the nation, so too does our Republican Party. Complaining about the rules every time we come up short is not a recipe for advancing a conservative agenda. Nevada’s former secretary of state, a fellow Republican, said there was no “evidentiary support” that widespread voter fraud occurred in the state’s 2020 election. Additionally, two prominent Nevada GOP lawmakers, state Sen. Jeff Stone and Assemblyman Ken Gray, recently reversed themselves and now say that there was no evidence that massive voter fraud occurred in the 2020 election.
Of course, all eligible voters should have the confidence that their voice will be heard and their vote will be counted. This requires not only robust safeguards to protect against fraud but also transparency and accountability at every stage of the electoral process. Any indication of irregularities must continue to be thoroughly investigated and resolved to ensure the integrity of our elections.
It is incumbent upon our elected officials, from the governor’s mansion to the Legislature, to demonstrate leadership in promoting trust and confidence in our electoral system.
This means investing in voter education, ensuring access to the ballot box for all eligible citizens and rigorously enforcing laws against election interference and fraud.
But the responsibility does not rest solely with our elected leaders. Each and every one of us has a role to play in safeguarding the integrity of our elections. Whether by volunteering as poll workers, engaging in civil discourse or simply casting our ballots with conviction, we can all contribute to the strength of our democracy.
In the end, the vitality of our democracy depends on the faith and trust of the people. Let us seize this moment to reaffirm our commitment to the principles of self-government and civic participation. Together, let us ensure that the 2024 elections are a testament to the enduring strength of our democracy and the resilience of the American spirit.
Robert List, a Republican, served as Nevada governor and attorney general. Heidi Seevers Gansert, Republican from Reno, is minority leader of the state Senate.
TONIGHT: Mostly clear. Low: 79°
TOMORROW: Sunny and breezy. SW winds in the afternoon 5-10mph, gusts up to 25mph. Overnight rain chances 10-30% with isolated t-storms. Increasing cloud cover in the evening. High: 109°
WEDNESDAY: Partly cloudy with a slight chance of showers with isolated t-storms before 11AM. Breezy with SW winds 10-15mph with gusts up to 25mph. High: 106°
Tuesday night into Wednesday morning we’re tracking the arrival of monsoonal moisture. The impact is minimal…just a 10-30% chance of rain in the valley at this time. Could see a few sprinkles or potentially just some virga. Isolated t-storms have not been ruled out, but more rain is expected in San Bernardino County to our southwest. We’ll see cloud cover move in with this system Tuesday night, although it’s not long-lived and won’t bring us any more moisture after Wednesday.
Temperatures cool off slightly Wednesday with a high of 106. On Thursday we’ll see 107.
Windy weather ramps up later this work week with gusts up to 30mph Thursday, Friday, Saturday due to a low-pressure system in the Pacific Northwest. We will cool off slightly due to the influence of this system back towards the low 100s and high 90s by next weekend.
By Marianne Dhenin
This article was originally published by Truthout
Grassroots canvassers are hitting the streets to urge voters to defend abortion rights in their states this November.
It has been four years since the Supreme Court’s decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization eliminated the federal constitutional right to abortion, leaving people in the U.S. to navigate a confusing patchwork of abortion protections, restrictions, and outright bans depending on jurisdiction. Organizers have ramped up efforts to improve access since the ruling, and thanks to that work, measures to protect and ensure reproductive freedoms are expected to be on the ballot in three states come November: Idaho, Nevada, and Virginia.
“When Idaho’s trigger ban went into effect in August of 2022, people needed to talk about it, and we came together informally and then eventually [there was] the idea that, ‘Hey, we need to draft a ballot initiative. We need to raise money for some attorneys. We need to get our act together,’” Melanie Folwell, executive director of Idahoans United for Women and Families, told Truthout. That organization was founded soon after and has led the campaign to get the Idaho Reproductive Freedom and Privacy Act Initiative on the ballot this year. The initiative would decriminalize abortion and provide that “every person has the right to … make personal decisions about reproductive health care,” including abortion, contraception, and more.
Idaho was one of 13 states with trigger bans on the books when Dobbs came down. Those bans were passed after the Supreme Court’s 1973 decision in Roe v. Wade upheld a constitutional right to abortion, meaning they could not be enforced as long as that decision stood. But when Roe was overturned, the bans came into effect.
Other restrictions and bans have followed Dobbs as the Trump administration and right-wing lawmakers move to eliminate reproductive health care. Nationwide, 30 states now have bans, hostile legislation, or lack reproductive rights protections, according to the Center for Reproductive Rights.
Effects of Idaho’s Abortion Ban
When Idaho’s ban first came into effect, it prohibited abortion with exceptions for the life of the pregnant person and some survivors of rape and incest. Then in 2023, the state’s Republican supermajority narrowed the rape and incest exceptions to apply only during the first trimester. Today, the ban is among the strictest in the nation.
Most Idahoans who need access to an abortion are now forced to travel out of state, including some pregnant patients facing medical emergencies. Access to other reproductive health care has also become more difficult as OB-GYNs leave, feeling it no longer safe to practice in a state with a near-total abortion ban that includes criminal and civil liabilities for providers found in violation of the law. Some hospital labor and delivery departments have shuttered altogether — including, Folwell said, the one where she gave birth to her daughter about two decades ago.
As maternity care deserts worsen across Idaho, so-called crisis pregnancy centers are moving into the gaps. Those fake clinics are meant to look like real health centers, but they operate without medical licensing and aim to scare, shame, or pressure visitors out of accessing abortion care.
Other states with abortion bans have experienced similar consequences.
“Access to reproductive health care has been so relentlessly politicized for power and influence and gain for decades now in this state, and unfortunately, women in Idaho, and people looking to grow a family, plan a family, [or] just be a person in Idaho are finding that the impacts of all that political football are very personal,” Folwell told Truthout.
Hundreds of Idahoans stepped up to collect the signatures required to move the abortion-decriminalizing Idaho Reproductive Freedom and Privacy Act Initiative forward.
More than 105,000 Idahoans (or about 10 percent of the state’s voting population) signed — well over the required 6 percent. Officials have until June 30 to certify the number of valid signatures before the initiative can be officially placed on the November ballot.
Struggles for Abortion Rights in Virginia and Nevada
Similar efforts are ongoing in Virginia and Nevada, where constitutional amendments protecting abortion have already been put on the states’ respective ballots. In Nevada, Question 6, or the Right to Abortion Initiative, would ensure access to abortion until the point of “fetal viability,” generally estimated to be around 24 weeks. It is the second time Question 6 will appear on ballots; under state law, a ballot measure must pass twice to become a part of the state constitution. In 2024, it passed with 64 percent of the vote.
“This campaign was a grassroots-led effort powered by state partners, activists, and our over 50,000 battle-born members,” Reproductive Freedom for All Director of State Campaigns Caroline Mello Roberson said in a press release when Question 6 first passed in 2024. “We’re excited to continue working to ensure that reproductive freedom is a reality for all Nevada families and lock our rights into law in 2026.”
Meanwhile, if passed, the Virginia Right to Reproductive Freedom Amendment would establish “the right to make and effectuate one’s own decisions about all matters related to one’s pregnancy.” Passing the amendment would also make Virginia the only state in the South with abortion protections. Currently, most Southern states enforce either a total ban on abortion or bans beginning at six or 12 weeks.
“Anybody in Florida, anybody in Tennessee, they would have to drive to Virginia to get the access they need, and that is not an easy thing to do. But I think it’s also meaningful to be able to perhaps provide that not just for Virginians but also for people in the South,” Sara Sanatkar, canvass and field manager at Repro Rising, told Truthout. Repro Rising is one of several Virginia organizations in Virginians for Reproductive Freedom, the coalition leading the campaign for a state constitutional amendment that would protect abortion rights. That coalition also came together in response to Dobbs.
Canvassers Mobilize a Grassroots Upswell for Abortion Rights
Though the political climates differ between the three states expected to vote on reproductive freedom this November, canvassers hitting the streets to mobilize community members are carrying similar messages. Organizers told Truthout that people relate to personal stories from their neighbors about how access to reproductive health care or restrictions placed on it has shaped their lives. They also tend to agree that decisions around reproductive health care should remain between an individual and their loved ones.
“We can all agree that when it’s time to make a difficult decision about your future, your health, your life, your hopes and your dreams, that decision should be made at your kitchen table with your people and not with the government, not with a politician, with a seat at that table,” Folwell told Truthout. “That is a message that resonates broadly across all kinds of people, across all kinds of places.”
The canvassing taking shape now in Idaho, Virginia, and Nevada is just the current leg in marathon organizing efforts. Passing legislation to better protect abortion rights has been a goal for advocates and organizers since the Supreme Court agreed to take up Dobbs, and the campaigns that grew into this year’s ballot measures coalesced soon after and are rooted in organizing relationships that run even deeper. But those leading the campaigns warn organizers elsewhere not to be discouraged by the time it takes to make change.
“We’ve seen over and over again, and not just in really progressive states, when voters have the opportunity to make their voices heard on reproductive freedom, they do,” Han Jones, campaign manager with Virginians for Reproductive Freedom, told Truthout. “I would encourage folks to take the long road that it sometimes is and keep working because this is something that people want, and it’s something that we can fight for.”
Hannah Servedio, director of organizing at Virginians for Reproductive Freedom, told Truthout that advice goes for anyone concerned about the rollbacks of reproductive rights across the country. Each of the reproductive rights ballot measures slated for this November started with community members coming together and committing to change.
“You don’t need the title of ‘organizer’ to be an organizer,” they said. “You can just decide that you’d like to work with other people who care about this issue and organize your community — you can take that role on for yourself.”
Now, with only months left in the final leg of their campaigns, organizers in Idaho, Nevada, and Virginia are hard at work ensuring their yearslong efforts will pay off come Election Day.
Mary Olivia Rentner, communications director at Virginians for Reproductive Freedom, told Truthout that though the work is tireless, it never stops feeling fulfilling: “To have this moment where there is actionable change happening, where we can actually see the future of our Commonwealth being shaped by people who aren’t going to let our rights be taken away, who are going to protect the care that is life-saving and life-changing, and protect the doctors and nurses who provide it, it brings me a lot of hope about the differences that we can make within our communities, within our state, and within the country.”
This article was originally published by Truthout and is licensed under Creative Commons (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0). Please maintain all links and credits in accordance with our republishing guidelines.
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