© 2024 KUNR
Illustration of rolling hills with occasional trees and a radio tower.
Serving Northern Nevada and the Eastern Sierra
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations
KUNR’s spring fund drive is happening now, and your gift to the station will go twice as far with a matching pledge from the KUNR Advisory Board!

Now is the time to act –
click here to make a gift to KUNR today or increase your sustaining membership and have it matched.

Nevada 2020 Election Blog: Nov. 3-16

KUNR 2020 election blog. An illustrated silhouette of the state of Nevada with a red and blue striped background.
Crystal Willis
/
KUNR

As of Nov. 17, this blog will no longer be updated. For related articles, please visit our 2020 election webpage.

KUNR’s 2020 Election Blog is a space for updates throughout Election Day and night, as well as short articles based on conversations our reporters have had with community members and local stakeholders to provide greater context to the election process. Because of the heavy reliance on mail-in voting this election due to the COVID-19 pandemic, there may not be final results for some races on election night in 2020. We will post results and updates to this blog as they come in.

For a statewide overview of election results, visit NPR's 2020 live election results page.

For updates from Washoe County on local races, visit their online dashboard

For updates from the Nevada Secretary of State's Office on statewide races, visit their website.

Final Nevada 2020 Election Results

7:15 p.m. PT | Monday, Nov. 16
By Paul Boger

The results are in, and nearly two weeks after polls closed in the general election, they are final.

In accordance with Nevada state statute, county election commissioners approved the final tallies for races, up and down the ballot, Monday.

That made former Vice President Joe Biden officially the winner of the presidential race in Nevada, carrying 50 percent of the vote. He beat out Republican incumbent President Donald Trump by about 34,000 votes or 2.5%. That’s virtually the same amount Democrat Hillary Clinton won Nevada by in 2016.

The results also give closure to some incredibly tight down-ballot races.

In Reno, Ward 1 City Councilwoman Jenny Brekhus will remain in her position for a third term. She edged out her challenger by 82 votes.

In the legislature, Republicans made gains in both houses. However, Democrats will continue to hold a sizable majority.

Election officials in Washoe County reported more than 252,000 ballots were cast in the election. Statewide, more than 1.4 million people voted. That’s about 77.5% of the state’s registered voters.

Results Are As Follows:

President Of The United States

  • Biden (DEM) - 703,486
  • Blankenship (IAP) - 3,138
  • Jorgensen (LPN) - 14,783
  • None Of These Candidates - 14,079
  • Trump (REP) - 669,890

U.S. House Of Representatives

  • 1st Congressional District
    • Bakari (IAP) - 6,190
    • Bentley (REP) - 74,490
    • Titus (DEM) - 137,868
    • Van Strawder (LPN) - 4,665
  • 2nd Congressional District
    • Ackerman (DEM) - 155,780
    • Amodei (REP) - 216,078
    • Hansen (IAP) - 10,815
  • 3rd Congressional District
    • Bridges (IAP) - 10,541
    • Brown (LPN) - 12,315
    • Lee (DEM) - 203,421
    • Rodimer (REP) - 190,975
  • 4th Congressional District
    • Barry (IAP) - 3,750
    • Esteban (LPN) - 7,978
    • Horsford (DEM) - 168,457
    • Marchant (REP) - 152,284

Nevada State Senate

Republicans gained one additional seat in the 21-member Senate. The balance now stands at 12 Democrats and nine Republicans. In 2020, there were 10 senate seats up for grabs. Only two were in Northern Nevada.

  • Senate District 15
    • Gansert (REP) - 39,325
    • Jauregui-Jackins (DEM) - 36,605
  • Senate District 19
    • Goicoechea (REP) - 52,591
    • Seeback (IAP) - 14,387

Nevada State Assembly

Republicans gained three additional seats in the 42-member Assembly. The balance now stands at 25 Democrats and 17 Republicans.

There are 11 Assembly seats in Northern Nevada.

  • Assembly District 24
    • Peters (DEM) - 20,191
  • Assembly District 25
    • Tolles (REP) - 32,513
  • Assembly District 26
    • Alm (DEM) - 19,588
    • Krasner (REP) - 28,428
  • Assembly District 27
    • Benitez-Thompson (DEM) - 18,559
    • Hawn (REP) - 13,184
  • Assembly District 30
    • Anderson (DEM) - 15,459
    • Hoff (REP) - 11,693
    • Young (IAP) - 1,433
  • Assembly District 31
    • Daly (DEM) - 18,494
    • Dickman (REP) - 19,850
  • Assembly District 32
    • Hansen (REP) - 25,058
    • Povilaitis (DEM) - 8,992
  • Assembly District 33
    • Ellison (REP) - 25,507
  • Assembly District 38
    • Titus (REP) - 29,280
  • Assembly District 39
    • Chang (DEM) - 13,108
    • Jones (LPN) - 1,289
    • Wheeler (REP) - 29,996
  • Assembly District 40
    • Loyd (DEM) - 14,789
    • O’Neill (REP) - 21,877

Nevada System Of Higher Education

  • Board of Regents, District 10
    • Arrascada (NP) - 52,236
    • Melcher (NP) - 45,363

Northern Nevada Races

  • Washoe County Commission, District 1
    • Berkbigler (REP) - 23,738
    • Hill (DEM) - 29,149
  • Washoe County Commission, District 4
    • Baker (DEM) - 22,846
    • Hartung (REP) - 31,909
  • Washoe County School District Board of Trustees, Seat A
    • Church (NP) - 29,626
    • Kelley (NP) - 20,142
  • Washoe County School District Board of Trustees, Seat E
    • Montognese (NP) - 13,893
    • Taylor (NP) - 23,192
  • Washoe County School District Board of Trustees, Seat G, At Large
    • Nicolet (NP) - 53,988
    • Wesner (NP) - 45,622
  • Reno City Council, Ward 1
    • Brekhus (NP) - 12,048
    • Drakulich (NP) - 11,966
  • Reno City Council, Ward 3
    • Delgado (NP) - 9,508
    • Leon (NP) - 5,688
  • Reno City Council, Ward 5
    • Fink (NP) - 10,499
    • Jardon (NP) - 12,135
  • Reno City Council, At Large
    • Lorton (NP) - 47,635
    • Reese (NP) - 58,052
  • Sparks City Council, Ward 1
    • Abbott (NP) - 3,287
    • Stolyarov (NP) - 2,571
  • Sparks City Council, Ward 3
    • Anderson (NP) - 5,082
    • Smith (NP) - 3,862
  • Carson City Board Of Supervisors, Ward 2
    • White - 15,904
    • Wilke-McCullouch - 11,556

Ballot Questions

  • Question 1, removing the Board of Regents from the Nevada Constitution
    • YES - 626,146
    • NO - 630,023
  • Question 2, removing a ban on same-sex marriages from the Nevada Constitution
    • YES - 821,050
    • NO - 494,186
  • Question 3, make changes to the Nevada Board of Pardons
    • YES - 782,015
    • NO - 496,287
  • Question 4, placing a “Voter’s Bill of Rights” in the Nevada Constitution
    • YES - 826,719
    • NO - 462,544
  • Question 6, requiring Nevada to generate 50% of its energy from renewable sources by 2050
    • YES - 747,581
    • NO - 542,654
Nevada Election Results: Monday Roundup

3:15 p.m. PT | Monday, Nov. 9
By Paul Boger

More than 1.3 million people in Nevada voted in the 2020 general election. That’s roughly 200,000 more ballots cast this year than in 2016. And while results from across the state have continued to trickle in over the weekend, it appears most races are nearing their final conclusion. KUNR’s News Director Michelle Billman spoke with Political Editor Paul Boger, who’s been following all of the twists and turns, to get the latest.

One race in particular noted by Boger is Senate District 15, which was a close competition, but Democratic challenger Wendy Jauregui-Jackins conceded to Republican incumbent Heidi Gansert over the weekend, keeping that seat in the GOP’s hands.

Biden Wins Nevada, Keeping Battleground In Democrats' Column

9:45 a.m. PT | Saturday, Nov. 7
By The Associated Press

Joe Biden has won Nevada, continuing a 16-year trend of Democrats picking up the Western battleground state. His victory four days after Election Day gives him Nevada's six Electoral College votes and denies President Donald Trump a state he hoped to pick up this year after a narrow loss in 2016. The country had focused on Nevada as it tabulated results, especially in Clark County, which includes Las Vegas and three-quarters of the state's population. The state mailed ballots to all active registered voters this year because of the coronavirus pandemic, a move the Trump campaign had challenged.
Biden Continues To Lead In Nevada

6:26 p.m. PT | Friday, Nov. 6
By The Associated Press

Former Vice President Joe Biden has increased his lead over President Donald Trump in Nevada, leading by 22,657 votes in the battleground state. Results released Friday afternoon from Democrat-heavy Clark County, which includes Las Vegas and three-quarters of Nevada's population, along with two rural counties, put Biden at 632,558 votes. Trump had 609,901. Biden's lead has nearly doubled from Thursday when he was leading Trump by about 11,000 votes.
Judge Rules Against Latest Trump Campaign, Nev. GOP Lawsuit

5:41 p.m. PT | Friday, Nov. 6
By Paul Boger

A federal judge has denied an emergency request from the Trump campaign and the Nevada Republican Party to stop the use of signature verification machines to process ballots.

After a three-hour hearing Friday, Las Vegas-based Federal Judge Andrew Gordon denied the request, saying the use of the machines is a state issue and that the plaintiff had not done enough to show that any voter has been harmed by their use.

The Trump campaign has argued that the machines have not done a good enough job and have already disenfranchised voters who were unable to cast their “legal ballots” because someone had fraudulently returned a ballot in their name.

This suit is similar to another lawsuit filed by the same plaintiffs in state court last week that sought to halt the processing of mail-in ballots in Clark County. That request was also denied by both a district court judge and the state Supreme Court.

Currently, there are an estimated 63,000 mail-in ballots left to be counted in Clark County.

Reno City Council Ward 1 Race Remains Neck And Neck

Bar chart of the Reno City Council Ward 1 race between Jenny Brekhus and J.D. Drakulich. Brekhus is ahead by 46 votes.
Credit Screenshot / Washoe County Registrar of Voters
/
Washoe County Registrar of Voters
The close race between incumbent Jenny Brekhus and her opponent J.D. Drakulich for Reno City Council Ward 1 as of Friday, Nov. 6, at 3:03 p.m.

3:29 p.m. PT | Friday, Nov. 6
By Lucia Starbuck

In the race for Ward 1, which represents much of central Reno, including Midtown and the Old Southwest neighborhoods, the two-term incumbent Jenny Brekhus is narrowly leading by 46 votes against her opponent J.D. Drakulich.

Both candidates have argued they have better solutions to address homelessness in Reno, especially as many encampments along the Truckee River reside in their district.

KUNR’s Lucia Starbuck explored what the candidates had to say to address homelessness with This Is Reno Publisher Bob Conrad. Click here to learn more.

Biden Nearly Doubles Lead In Nevada As More Results Released

3:00 p.m. PT | Friday, Nov. 6
By The Associated Press

Former Vice President Joe Biden has increased his lead over President Donald Trump in Nevada, leading by 20,137 votes in the battleground state. Results released Friday from Democrat-heavy Clark County, which includes Las Vegas and three-quarters of Nevada's population, along with two rural counties, put Biden at 627,104 votes. Trump had 606,967. Biden's lead nearly doubled from Thursday, when he was leading Trump by about 11,000 votes. Clark County Registrar Joe Gloria says his county has an additional 63,000 mail ballots to be processed over the next few days and 60,000 provisional ballots to be processed later. Gloria says Clark County would release more results Friday afternoon but didn't know how many ballots could be included.

For a statewide overview of election results, visit NPR's 2020 live election results page.

Nevada Presidential Race Too Close To Call

1:10 p.m. PT | Friday, Nov. 6
By Paul Boger

Former Vice President Joe Biden’s lead over President Donald Trump has grown slightly in Nevada, but with more than 120,000 ballots still waiting to be counted in Clark County, the race is still too close to call.

According to the latest figures released by the Secretary of State’s office, Biden leads Trump by roughly 20,000 votes statewide, about a point-and-a-half difference. However, election officials say there are as many as 120,000 ballots that still need to be counted in Clark County. That number is likely closer to about 16,000 for the rest of the state.

At a news conference Friday morning, Clark County Registrar of Voters Joe Gloria told reporters those uncounted ballots include nearly 63,000 mail-in ballots and around 60,000 provisional ballots. Gloria said the county will release more results later Friday and that he expects to have most ballots counted by Sunday.

Trump Camp Files New Federal Lawsuit Over Vegas-area Voting

10:02 a.m. PT | Friday, Nov. 6
By The Associated Press

The Trump campaign has filed a new federal lawsuit in Nevada, alleging that ineligible votes were cast in the Las Vegas area, the biggest Democratic stronghold in an otherwise predominantly GOP state. A complaint filed after-hours Thursday resurrected an effort the campaign abandoned just hours earlier in Nevada state court. It seeks a court order to stop the Clark County Registrar of Voters from using an optical scanning machine to process ballots and validate voter signatures. State Attorney General Aaron Ford called the move “a Hail Mary” attempt to undermine confidence in the presidential election while ballots are still being counted.
Gov. Steve Sisolak Calls President Donald Trump’s Attacks On Mail-In Ballots ‘Dangerous’

9:55 a.m. PT | Friday, Nov. 6
By Lucia Starbuck

Gov. Steve Sisolak released a statement Thursday denouncing President Donald Trump’s attacks on the integrity of mail-in ballots being counted after Election Day. He called Trump’s comments “misleading, dangerous and — most concerningly — false.”

Sisolak added that state officials are required to continue counting the ballots under state law.

Counting Ballots In Nevada Takes Time To Prevent Voter Fraud

A man in a red mask and blue gloves sits in front of a table with a stack of paper ballots on the table and plexiglass in front of him.
Credit Bob Conrad / This Is Reno
/
This Is Reno
Washoe County workers count ballots at the Washoe County Administration Complex on Tuesday, Nov. 3.

9:38 a.m. PT | Friday, Nov. 6
By Lucia Starbuck

Nevada Attorney General Aaron Ford said the full vote count takes time because there are multiple safeguards in place to prevent voter fraud, like signature verifications. Ford added that while there’s no evidence of rampant voter fraud, he would prosecute if it does happen here. He’s already done so in the past.

Click here to read the full story by KUNR’s Lucia Starbuck.

Biden’s Lead In Nevada Widens

9:29 a.m. PT | Friday, Nov. 6
By Michelle Billman

According to the latest numbers from the Nevada Secretary of State’s Office, former Vice President Joe Biden has 49.76% of the vote count while President Donald Trump has 48.13%, widening Biden’s lead in the Silver State. Here’s the vote breakdown:

Biden has a total of 626,211 votes in Nevada while Trump has a total of 605,669.

These numbers are continuing to be updated here as ballots keep trickling in.

Nevada Elections: Thursday Roundup

5:57 p.m. PT | Thursday, Nov. 5
By Paul Boger and Danna O’Connor

The eyes of the world are on Nevada this week as the race between former Vice President Joe Biden and President Donald Trump remains too close to call in the state. Since polls closed on Tuesday night, it's become more clear that Nevada could decide who will take the White House for the next four years. KUNR's Danna O'Connor spoke with Political Editor Paul Boger for a roundup of the latest updates provided by election officials on Thursday.

Audio
Listen to KUNR's Danna O'Connor and Paul Boger break down Thursday's updates from election officials in Nevada. If you experience any issues accessing this content, please email news@kunr.org for assistance.

Along with discussing the presidential election, Paul and Danna also touch on some of the state and local races that remain close, including Assembly District 31, where Republican challenger Jill Dickman currently has 52% of the vote, while Democratic incumbent Skip Daly has 48%.

Another tight statewide race is Senate District 6, where Nevada State Senate Majority Leader and Democratic incumbent Nicole Cannizzaro has 49.7% of the vote, while her opponent, Republican April Becker, is less than a percentage point ahead at 50.3%.

And locally, looking at the race for Reno City Council Ward 1, incumbent Jenny Brekhus holds the lead over JD Drakulich by a mere 38 votes. All of these results remain unofficial and subject to change as more ballots trickle in.

More Than 190,000 Ballots Left To Be Counted In Nevada

4:44 p.m. PT | Thursday, Nov. 5
By Paul Boger

Election officials in Nevada say there are more than 190,000 ballots left to be counted before they can finalize the vote.

Nevada Secretary of State Barbara Cegavske said in a statement Thursday that most of those ballots were either returned by mail or dropped off in person. However, as many as a third were cast at a polling place, either during early voting or on Election Day, by voters who took advantage of Nevada’s new same-day voter registration law.

Ninety percent of those uncounted ballots are in Clark County.

Under state law, all ballots must be counted by the end of the day on Nov. 12.

This means complete unofficial election results will not be available until the morning of Nov. 13.

Trump Campaign Filing Lawsuit Challenging Nevada’s Vote Count

2:48 p.m. PT | Thursday, Nov. 5
By Paul Boger

The Trump campaign and the Nevada Republican Party say they plan to file a federal lawsuit asking a judge to stop the counting of what they call “improper votes.”

Campaign officials told reporters at a press conference in Las Vegas they believe “many” mail-in ballots were cast by dead people or by people who moved out of Clark County ahead of the election.

Biden currently holds a tenuous lead of roughly 12,000 votes over Trump.

Former Acting Director of National Intelligence and current campaign spokesman Ric Grenell said the suit would protect “legal voters.”

“They continue to count illegal votes,” Grenell said. “That is unacceptable, and it’s giving legal people a sense that the system is corrupt.”

Despite the allegations, Grenell and the GOP offered nothing more than anecdotal evidence.

The suit has not yet been filed in federal court, so no hearing has been scheduled.

In the meantime, state and local election officials say they will continue to count ballots that were postmarked by Election Day until next week, as required by law.

In response to the Trump campaign’s concerns, Nevada’s Democratic Attorney General Aaron Ford said he believes election officials are doing whatever they can to ensure a fair election, including looking into claims of fraud. Ford also said he’s sure the state will win in court.

Latest Nevada Numbers Extend Biden Lead, But Race Remains Too Close To Call

1:11 p.m. PT | Thursday, Nov. 5
By Paul Boger

Former Vice President Joe Biden has extended his lead over President Donald Trump in Nevada, but the race is still too close to call.

According to the latest results released by the Secretary of State’s office Thursday morning, Biden has roughly 49.5 percent of the vote compared to Trump’s 48.5 percent.

That’s a split of about 12,000 votes.

Most of that difference came from Clark County, where Biden was expected to do well.

In Washoe County, Biden has maintained a roughly 10,000-vote lead over Trump.

For a statewide overview of election results, visit NPR's 2020 live election results page.

Several Election Results Still Delayed In Nevada

6:02 p.m. PT | Wednesday, Nov. 4
By KUNR Staff

Officials in Nevada did not release further election results Wednesday, delaying the outcome of several close contests, including the presidential race.

In separate press conferences, the top election officials in both Clark and Washoe counties told reporters they were holding off on releasing any additional results until 9 a.m. Thursday, which should provide some insight into the mail-in ballots collected on Election Day. In Washoe County, that’s an estimated 9,000 ballots, according to Registrar Deanna Spikula.

It is currently unknown how many mail-in ballots could be returned in the coming days because every active registered voter in the state was sent a ballot, and anyone who has not yet voted may have a potential ballot on its way. Under state law, as long as a ballot is postmarked by Tuesday, Nov. 3, and received within seven days of the election, officials must count it.

Nevada Secretary Of State’s Office Releases Unofficial Election Results

2:13 a.m. PT | Wednesday, Nov. 4
By Michelle Billman

The Nevada Secretary of State’s Office is reporting unofficial results for many statewide races. Here’s a breakdown of what’s been reported as of 1:58 a.m. Wednesday on the office’s website.

Assembly District 26:
Republican incumbent Lisa Krasner has a solid preliminary lead with 59.25% of the vote against Democratic challenger Vance Alm with 40.75%.

Assembly District 27:
Democratic incumbent Teresa Benitez-Thompson has a solid preliminary lead with 58.47% of the vote, while her Republican challenger Barb Hawn has so far garnered 41.53%.

Assembly District 30:
Democrat Natha Anderson has an unofficial leg up on Republican Randy Hoff, with 54% of the votes so far compared to Hoff’s 41.10%.

Assembly District 31:
This race remains tight, with Republican Jill Dickman inching ahead at 51.84% of the vote, while Democratic incumbent Skip Daly is at 48.16%.

Assembly District 32:
Republican incumbent Alexis Hansen has an unofficial lead over Paula Povilaitis. Hansen has 68.56% of the vote, while Povilaitis is currently at 31.44%.

Assembly District 39:
Jim Wheeler, the Republican incumbent, sits at 66.84% of votes tallied while Deborah Chang, a Democrat, trails behind at 30.66%.

Assembly District 40:
Philip “PK” O’Neill has the unofficial advantage at 63.11% support. Democrat Sena Loyd currently lags behind at 36.89%.

Senate District 15:
Heidi Gansert, the Republican incumbent, has a slight 51.66% preliminary lead in this tight race against Wendy Jauregui-Jackins, who stands at 48.34%.

Washoe County Releases Unofficial Election Results

12:10 a.m. PT | Wednesday, Nov. 4
By Michelle Billman

The Washoe County Registrar of Voters has released preliminary, unofficial results for local races. They do not include certain ballots that haven’t come in yet. Here’s the breakdown, which you can also find on their website.

The percentages in this update are based on the latest information from the Washoe County Registrar of Voters website at 10:27 p.m. Tuesday.

Washoe County Commission:

For the District 1 seat, newcomer Alexis Hill is leading with 55.43% of votes, while incumbent Marsha Berkbigler garnered just 44.57%.

For the District 4 seat, incumbent Vaughn Hartung has received so far 57.93% of votes, while Marie Baker has just 42.07%.

Washoe County School Board

For the District A seat, Jeff Church has a large lead with 60.01% of the votes, while Scott Kelley comes in at 39.99%.

For the District E seat, incumbent Angie Taylor is up with 62.79%, compared to 37.21% for her opponent Matthew Montognese.

For the District G At-Large seat, Diane Nicolet has 53.98% of the votes, while Craig Wesner has 46.02%.

Reno City Council

For the Ward 1 seat, this is the tightest race on the council, with 50.43% of the vote going to incumbent Jenny Brekhus at this point, while JD Drakulich has 49.57%.

For the Ward 3 seat, incumbent Oscar Delgado has 62.3% while Rudy Leon trails behind with 37.7%.

For the Ward 5 seat, incumbent Neoma Jardon is ahead with 53.99% of the votes, while Darla Fink is at 46.01%.

For the At-Large seat, incumbent Devon Reese is at 55.53%, and Eddie Lorton is behind at 44.47%.

Sparks City Council

For the Ward 1 seat, incumbent Donald Abbott has so far received 55.9% of the vote, while Wendy Stolyarov has 44.1%.

For the Ward 3 seat, incumbent Paul Anderson has 57.77%, while Quentin Smith has 42.23% of the vote.

Amodei Wins Reelection To CD2

11:39 p.m. PT | Tuesday, Nov. 3
By Michelle Billman

The Associated Press has called the race for Nevada’s Congressional District 2, with Republican Incumbent Mark Amodei declared the winner. His Democratic challenger was Patricia Ackerman. You can find the race results on the Nevada Secretary of State’s website.

Too Young To Vote, She Volunteered To Get Others To The Polls

10:13 p.m. PT | Tuesday, Nov. 3
By Natalie Van Hoozer

Not all volunteers who work to encourage others to vote can vote themselves. One of those people is 8th grader and Reno resident Christina Kuch. At 14 years old, she is too young to vote.

Audio
Listen to Christina and Erin’s interview with KUNR to learn about Christina’s motivation for getting out the vote, even though she’s too young to vote herself. If you experience any issues accessing this content, please email news@kunr.org for assistance.

“I think I’m really interested in this election because it kind of determines my future,” she said. “I feel like almost everyone should be involved in politics after the age of, maybe, 13 because it happens all around us. [Elected officials] determine our future, the jobs we can do … climate change; [voting] really does determine our future.”

Daughter Christina Kuch takes a selfie with her mother Erin Eddings.
Credit Courtesy of Christina Kuch
For the 2020 general election, 14-year-old Christina Kuch (left) volunteered with Plan Action to get out the vote. Her mother, Erin Eddings (right), supported her efforts.

Christina’s mother, Erin Eddings, considers herself politically active and supports Christina’s efforts doing text banking for Plan Action, the branch of the Progressive Leadership Alliance of Nevada, which endorses progressive candidates and initiatives. Due to her young age, Christina focused on outreach to family and friends this election.

“I’ve always felt you’ve got to speak your voice, or whatever happens in politics, you’re the recipient of somebody else’s opinions and decisions,” she said. “It’s Christina’s first [time] paying attention to any elections, so she’s getting a good taste of it.”

This update was produced in partnership with Noticiero Móvil.

Breaking Down The Influence Of Women In Politics

8:54 p.m. PT | Tuesday, Nov. 3
By Natalie Van Hoozer

It’s Election Day, and KUNR’s Natalie Van Hoozer spoke to Dr. Christina Ladam, a political science professor at the University of Nevada, Reno, about the influence of women in politics. Van Hoozer also explored how the current pandemic may or may not affect women voters in this election.

Audio
Listen to KUNR's Natalie Van Hoozer speak with Dr. Christina Ladam about the evolution of the female vote in this extended interview. If you experience any issues accessing this content, please email news@kunr.org for assistance.

Ladam says Nevada has become a leader for women in politics after having the first-ever, majority-female state legislature.

“We have research that shows that women are going to be better informed when they are represented by women. Even young people have higher levels of political knowledge when they are represented by women,” Dr. Ladam said.

According to Ladam, having had a female vice presidential nominee, Kamala Harris, was a rare event, and Harris’ mixed race of Black and Indian descent has the potential to inspire others in the future.

“The research on the effect of prominent role models would tell us that she is going to inspire more women, more Black women, more Indian women to see themselves as part of the political process,” Ladam said.

Ladam says, historically, the problem with the underrepresentation of women in politics is that women who are as qualified as men are less likely to see themselves as qualified to run for office.

More Than 21,000 Washoe County Voters Voted In Person On Election Day

8:34 p.m. PT | Tuesday, Nov. 3
By Stephanie Serrano

More than 21,000 residents showed up to cast their vote in Washoe County today.

Election officials say the voter turnout in the county moved up to 77%, but it is expected to rise with incoming mail-in ballots and delivered drop-off ballots in the next few days.

Unofficial election results are expected after the last Nevadan in the state submits their vote.

Checking In With Washoe County Voters At The Polls

6:59 p.m. PT | Tuesday, Nov. 3
By Michelle Billman

KUNR's Anh Gray and Lucia Starbuck have been visiting polling sites throughout Washoe County this afternoon and evening. They spoke to voters across the political spectrum. Here's what a few of them had to share:

Voters Wait About An Hour To Cast Ballots At Sparks Library

4:58 p.m. PT | Tuesday, Nov. 3
By Michelle Billman

Polling site wait times can change quickly. For exact wait times, visit Washoe County's polling wait time app.

KUNR’s Anh Gray and Lucia Starbuck checked in at Sparks Library in Washoe County, where about 60 people were in a line to vote that wrapped into the parking lot. The wait time is estimated at under an hour, and those in line were in good spirits, according to the reporters.

Election volunteers shared options for other polling sites with shorter lines, but voters seemed willing to stay in line at the library. A nonpartisan coalition was there to hand out snacks to those who were waiting.

Anh and Lucia are now at the Reno Livestock Events Center, which appeared to have no line at 4:30 p.m. Follow them on Twitter at @anhNgray and @luciastarbuck.

More Than 14,000 Washoe County Voters Are Visiting The Polls

4:47 p.m. PT | Tuesday, Nov. 3
By Stephanie Serrano

With only a few hours left to vote, officials with the Washoe County Registrar of Voters Office have reported that a little more than 14,000 people have voted in person today.

Election officials say this historic number brings the current total of voter turnout to 76 percent.

Law enforcement officials say they have not received any major calls regarding voter intimidation or harassment, but election officials have received calls of people campaigning too close to some polling sites.

Trump Campaign, GOP To Appeal Vegas-area Ballot Count Ruling

2:20 p.m. PT | Tuesday, Nov. 3
By The Associated Press

President Donald Trump's campaign and Nevada Republicans say they'll ask the state Supreme Court to stop the count of mail-in ballots in Clark County, the state's most populous and Democratic-leaning county. On the eve of the presidential election, the campaign and party notified a state judge in Carson City that his refusal to halt Las Vegas-area ballot counting will be appealed. The Trump campaign and state GOP also lost a separate public records bid in Las Vegas to force the Clark County Registrar of Voters to publicize the names of ballot workers.
Nearly 9,000 In Washoe County Voted This Morning

1:00 p.m. PT | Tuesday, Nov. 3
By Stephanie Serrano

The Washoe County Registrar of Voters Office says they are seeing a large turnout at the polls this morning.

During a late-morning press call on Tuesday, County Registrar Deanna Spikula says operations are running smoothly.

“Close to 9,000 people now have actually turned out for in-person voting on Election Day. We were already at over 71% of people who voted either by mail or during early voting,” Spikula said.

The county is predicting heavier traffic this afternoon and hopes to see up to 90% voter turnout. Voters in line by 7 p.m. will have the chance to cast their vote.

Election officials say they will likely release unofficial results after the last person in Nevada has submitted their vote. Those unofficial results may include mail-in ballots, early votes and election day votes.

Local Law Enforcement Increasing Patrols On Election Day

9:13 a.m. PT | Tuesday, Nov. 3
By Lucia Starbuck

With growing concerns across the country about possible violence and unrest during the election, local law enforcement will increase their patrols throughout the day.

Washoe County Sheriff Darin Balaam told KRNV his office is working with Reno and Sparks police to increase patrols throughout the day and will respond to polling locations if problems arise.

The Reno Police Department said in a statement detectives will be at the Northern Nevada Regional Intelligence Center to monitor any intelligence throughout Election Day and the rest of the month. 

 

 

In Las Vegas, the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department said in a statement that officers will be available to respond to issues throughout the day as well. 

Additionally, investigators from the Attorney General’s Office and Nevada Secretary of State’s Office will be stationed at the Metro Police Department to vet calls and deploy services as needed.

Washoe County Announces 71% Voter Turnout Ahead Of The Election

5:00 a.m. PT | Tuesday, Nov. 3
By Stephanie Serrano

As of Monday, Washoe County has seen 71% voter turnout. Election officials anticipate a smooth process at the polls Tuesday.

The county has counted at least 86,000 mail-in ballots and is expecting a few thousand to be postmarked on Election Day.

Officials say there have been 15 cases in which a person voted in person and by mail. Those cases have been sent to the District Attorney’s office for further investigation.

Washoe County Polling Places To Open at 7 A.M. On Election Day

5:00 a.m. PT | Tuesday, Nov. 3
By Stephanie Serrano

Tuesday, Nov. 3, is Election Day. In Washoe County, polling stations will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. PT.

According to election officials, voters will have the opportunity to vote as long as they are in line by 7 p.m. at one of the 29 sites.

Find the nearest polling center in Washoe County by visiting the Registrar of Voters website.

Trump Campaign, GOP Lose Bid To Stop Vegas-Area Ballot Count

5:00 a.m. PT | Tuesday, Nov. 3
By The Associated Press

A Nevada judge has denied a courtroom bid by the Trump campaign and state Republicans to stop the count of mail-in ballots in Clark County, the state's most populous and Democratic-leaning county, including Las Vegas. A co-chairman of the Trump campaign in Nevada said Monday an immediate appeal to the Nevada Supreme Court is being considered. Judge James Wilson Jr. acknowledged the state Legislature reshaped election law last summer due to the coronavirus pandemic, but said there's no evidence that one vote is getting more weight than another. Wilson heard a full day of arguments in the case last Wednesday in Carson City.
Las Vegas Prepares For Potential Civil Unrest

5:00 a.m. PT | Tuesday, Nov. 3
By Stephanie Serrano

With concerns about potential civil unrest after Election Day Tuesday, the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department says they are prepared for any public safety call.

In a press release, the department listed that they will have a Deployment Operations Center at the LMPD headquarters made up of investigators from the State General Attorney’s Office and Nevada Highway Patrol.

Additionally, the department will have 600 non-patrol officers and detectives on standby throughout the day to support the Patrol Division.

Get Caught Up

Click here for stories from the KUNR and NPR newsrooms related to the 2020 election.

Related Content