Nevada
Washoe DA GOP primary is winner-take-all because of 2015 law signed by Gov. Sandoval
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.
Attorney General Aaron Ford announced Wednesday afternoon that his office has reached a nearly $30 million settlement with drug manufacturer Glenmark.
The settlement is part of a multi-state antitrust case against the generic drug manufacturer. 48 U.S. states and territories allege Glenmark engaged in a conspiracy to artificially inflate prices and reduce competition on the sale of more than 100 medications.
That includes drugs used to treat asthma, cancer and diabetes, among other conditions.
Nevada will distribute $41,000 to impacted agencies and over $13 million to a consumer restitution fund.
Individual Nevadans who bought one of Glenmark’s products between May 2009 and December 2019 may also be eligible for monetary compensation. Members of the public can find more information about eligibility at aggenericdrugs.com.
Nevada
Nevada Attorney Gen. Aaron Ford responds to what he calls President Trump’s ‘misleading speech on elections’
CARSON CITY, Nev. (KOLO) – On Thursday, July 16, Nevada Attorney Gen. Aaron Ford responded to President Trump’s “misleading speech on elections.”
“You just watched President Trump attempt to revive conspiracy theories about the 2020 election that have repeatedly been debunked and dismissed by the legal system, independent analyses and state elections officials across the country,” Ford said. “My office fought against these lies from day one, and we successfully defended Nevada’s elections from this ridiculous misinformation.”
Ford said that Trump is trying to bring this topic back to life.
“He does not care that Americans are tired,” Ford said. “He does not care that Nevadans are more concerned with the economic impacts of his illegal tariffs and his disastrous foreign policy. He does not care that Nevadans are worried about his unchecked and dangerous immigration enforcement strategies. He does not care that Nevadans are upset about his attempts to abuse taxpayer dollars to create a personal slush fund through the IRS.”
Ford said Trump is trying to lay the groundwork to make a case to allow federal interference in Nevada’s elections.
“Trump has attempted to illegally interfere with the rights of states to conduct their elections, a right, to be clear, that is enshrined in the Constitution,“ Ford said. ”It is the sovereign right of Nevada and all other states to run their elections. Full stop.”
Ford said his office has always acted swiftly to investigate any allegations of voter fraud.
“Our elections have systems in place to ensure that only eligible people vote and attempts to vote fraudulently can be detected and prosecuted,” Ford said. “Since my time as attorney general, the system has worked, and we’ve prosecuted cases of voter fraud.”
Contrary to the lies that Trump continues to peddle, Ford said, the only threat to our elections is his inability to accept his loss.
“He’s still shopping around for someone, anyone, to tell him he won,” Ford said. “His inability to accept the results of past elections and his fragile ego are driving his desire to seize control of future elections. Our country deserves better.”
Ford said Nevadans are not going to stand idly by while Trump attempts to sow doubt, lies, and confusion about the midterm election. He added that the Secretary of State’s office does an impeccable job at administering Nevada’s elections.
“I will continue to use all of my office’s power to stand up against President Trump’s attempts to illegally expand federal power and interfere with states’ rights,” Ford said. “Nevada’s elections are safe and secure.”
Copyright 2026 KOLO. All rights reserved.
Video: How to make Cold Stone Creamery’s Strawberry Blonde ice cream
Chris Reynolds, franchisee of Cold Stone Creamery’s Reno locations, shows how to make the Strawberry Blonde ice cream.
When foodies think of the best ice cream in Nevada, their minds might immediately go to the world-class eateries in Las Vegas or the independent dessert shops in Reno. As it turns out (or at least according to Yelp) the best ice cream isn’t in either of Nevada’s most urban areas.
Last year, Yelp released its list of 100 best U.S. ice cream shops ahead of National Ice Cream Day on July 20, naming one rural spot as the best place to get a frozen treat in the entire state.
Luckily for Renoites, the best ice cream spot in Nevada isn’t far away. Here’s a look at the only Silver State location that made the list.
What is the best ice cream shop in Nevada?
Steve’s Homemade Ice Cream in Fernley was the only Nevada location to make Yelp’s best ice cream spots list. Steve’s is at 1360 US Hwy. 95A N., Suite 5, or just off the second highway exit going into Fernley from Reno, in the outdoor mall across the street from the Starbucks.
Yelp reviewers appreciated Steve’s variety of homemade ice cream flavors, the shop’s cleanliness and aesthetic appeal, and the owner’s friendliness.
How did Yelp make its Top 100 Best Ice Cream Shops list?
Yelp used the reviews of businesses in the ice cream category, then used factors such as the total volume of ratings and reviews to create its “all-time list of the Top 100 Ice Cream Spots in the U.S..”
When is National Ice Cream Day 2026?
Sunday, July 19, 2026, is National Ice Cream Day.
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