Vote Nevada Supporters,
Now that candidates are filing for office, it’s time to focus on our June 11th primary.
For some context, in 2016, the percentage of active voters who cast a primary ballot was 18.54 percent. In 2018, the percentage of active voters who cast a primary ballot was 22.91 percent. In 2020, the percentage of active voters who cast a primary ballot was 29.51 percent. In 2022, the percentage of active voters who cast a primary ballot was 25.77 percent.
While the number of voters casting a primary ballot is going up, the percentage of eligible voters participating is still concerning. We patted ourselves on the back for turning out almost 30 percent of active voters in 2020, but that is still an unacceptably low number.
Why should we care? All voting matters.
The June primary election is much more than the two political parties picking their nominees for the general election. In our down-ballot races, including judges, mayors, city councils, NSHE regents, and school board trustees, everyone can vote because these are all nonpartisan open primary races. The top two candidates move forward unless a candidate receives over 50 percent of the vote, then that person wins in the primary.
That’s right, we can elect candidates in our primary. An example is the Clark County sheriff’s race in 2022.
Because our primary election is so important, Vote Nevada is launching a Be A Primary Voter Campaign to raise awareness of all the election functions that happen in June and to ask voters to tune in and show out to vote. Students and community members are already helping to build up our social media materials, primary election resources, and fundraising to host voter turnout events.
Vote Nevada is hosting two candidate forums. First, is our March 30th Down-Ballot Candidate Forum and second is our April 27th Top-Ballot Candidate Forum. Both events will be at the College of Southern Nevada North Las Vegas Campus, from 9 a.m. to Noon.
During each forum, candidates will have reserved table space and voters can attend any time during the event. Bring the family, ask candidates your questions, and then you can leave when you’re done.
Save the dates, please, and share this information with your friends.
It’s also Women’s Empowerment Month, so, on March 5th the Represent Women Democracy Solutions Summit 2024 begins and goes through March 7th. The Summit is virtual and when you register you’ll be added to the list to receive the panel recordings after the Summit ends. You can read more about the Summit and register here: https://www.representwomen.org/democracy_solutions_summit
On March 22nd the Netflix Shirley Chisholm biopic premiers and we are co-hosting a hybrid watch party. The in-person site is the CSN West Charleston Blvd. Campus, Building K room 101. Here is a campus map: t.ly/7zIlG
You can register for the Zoom option here: t.ly/bUQ3P
The next day, March 23rd, meet Washington D.C. civil rights leader, Lisa Rice. Lisa works on democracy reform in our nation’s capital. Our Lisa Rice event is on March 23rd at 9 a.m. via Zoom, you can RSVP here: t.ly/ke281
And I just received confirmation that we’ll be Zooming with University of Utah basketball player Alissa Pili, from Anchorage, Alaska, soon. Alissa is Samoan and Inupiaq. The Utes are playing in the PAC 12 tournament this week and then we will be scheduling time to chat with this indigenous women’s basketball star. https://kslsports.com/510964/utah-wbb-star-alissa-pili-native-people/
Thanks for being Nevadans with me,
Sondra
Vote Nevada is now qualified to receive donations through Smith’s Inspiring Donations, you can read more about how to donate to Vote Nevada each time you use your Smith’s loyalty card here: https://www.smithsfoodanddrug.com/i/community/smiths-inspiring-donations
Vote Nevada is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit civic engagement organization. Anyone can become a supporter by emailing info@vote-nevada.org, we have no membership dues. You can now donate to Vote Nevada through PayPal at https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=L423L7FBMMBEA
Vote Nevada 