Nevada legislature

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. While results from across the state have continued to trickle in over the weekend, it appears most races are nearing their conclusion. KUNR's Michelle Billman spoke with political editor, Paul Boger who's been following all of the twists and turns to get the latest.

For 156 years, Nevada’s constitution has included the Board of Regents. That’s the 13-member panel of elected officials tasked with governing the state’s higher education system and the eight institutions that fall within it. Now, in 2020, Nevadans will get to vote on whether that inclusion was the right choice with Question 1, a ballot measure that would pull regents from the state constitution.

Three candidates in Sparks are looking to replace outgoing Democratic Assemblyman Greg Smith in the legislature next year. One of them is Natha Anderson, an educator and president of the Washoe Education Association. She spoke with KUNR’s Paul Boger to give her take on the challenges facing the state.

Skip Daly has represented residents living in eastern Sparks and the North Valleys for eight years, non-consecutively, in the Nevada Assembly. This year, he once again faces a challenge from Jill Dickman, the Republican who defeated him for a term in 2014. KUNR’s Paul Boger spoke with incumbent Democratic Assemblyman Skip Daly about his work in the legislature and his bid for reelection.

Rapid population growth in Washoe County has led to a critical shortage of affordable housing and higher demands on services across the region. Alexis Hill is the Democratic candidate for the District 1 seat on the Washoe County Commission.

She spoke with KUNR's Paul Boger about how the county should respond to this issue.

Washoe County’s population has exploded in recent years. In 2010, the U.S. Census Bureau estimated that roughly 420,000 people lived in the county. Now, that number is more than 471,000. That growth has led to a housing crunch and greater demands on services across the region.

KUNR’s Paul Boger spoke with Marsha Berkbigler, the incumbent Republican running for a third term representing District 1 on the Washoe County Commission. They spoke about the challenges currently facing the county.

Throughout this election season, a vast majority of the coverage has focused on the contentious presidential race, but in Nevada, voters will also be asked to decide the fate of several down-ballot contests.

That includes a relatively competitive race in western Washoe County where newcomer Democrat Wendy Jauregui-Jackins is looking to represent District 15 in the state Senate. KUNR’s Paul Boger spoke with Jauregui-Jackins about what lawmakers should do to address the issues related to COVID-19.

Throughout this election season, a vast majority of the coverage has focused on the contentious presidential race. But in Nevada, voters will also be asked to decide the fate of several down-ballot contests.

That includes a relatively competitive race in western Washoe County where incumbent Republican Heidi Gansert is looking to maintain her seat representing District 15 in the state Senate. KUNR’s Jayden Perez spoke with Gansert about her time in office and what lawmakers should do to address the issues related to COVID-19. 

Since its creation in the 1980's, Nevada's Second Congressional District has sent only four representatives to Congress, all of them Republicans, but demographics in the district are changing and Democrats are becoming a larger percentage of the electorate in Northern Nevada.

One of them is political newcomer Particia Ackerman, a retired high-altitude mountaineer who is challenging five-term incumbent Mark Amodei for the seat. KUNR's Paul Boger caught up with Ackerman at a recent campaign event to talk about the election and the federal government's response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Since its creation in the 1980's, Nevada's Second Congressional District has sent only four representatives to Congress, all of them Republicans, but demographics in the district are shifting and Democrats are becoming a larger percentage of the electorate in Northern Nevada. Despite that, five-term incumbent Mark Amodei has remained relatively popular among voters.

KUNR's Paul Boger spoke with Amodei about his bid for a sixth term as well as the federal government's response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Any one of three joint resolutions passed during the recent special session of the Nevada Legislature could ultimately change the way and rate at which mines are taxed in Nevada, and rural counties and mining companies are worried. As a warning, this story contains language that some readers may find offensive.

The 32nd Special Session of the Nevada Legislature is over. Lawmakers adjourned sine die early Thursday morning after spending a week passing several resolutions and pieces of legislation meant to address a litany of policy issues. Noah Glick spoke with KUNR’s Paul Boger and Lucia Starbuck, who were in Carson City and covered the session in its entirety.

Lawmakers in Nevada are rolling back protections granted to law enforcement officers under investigation. The protections were just put into place last year. Law enforcement agencies and progressive groups both denounced the bill. 

Black Lives Matter protests have erupted across the country, and in Nevada, and with them, demands for police reform. In response, lawmakers in Nevada have approved a bill meant to change how law enforcement officers in the state handle arrests, but activists say there’s more to be done.

Lawmakers have spent the three days in Carson City debating a host of issues as part of the 32nd Special Session of the Nevada Legislature. KUNR News Director Michelle Billman spoke with Senior Reporter Paul Boger to help break it all down.

Voters in Nevada will likely have the option of, once again, voting by mail in this upcoming general election. That’s after lawmakers approved a measure requiring election officials to send a ballot to all active voters during times of emergency.

Lawmakers in Nevada ended their special session to address the state's massive budget shortfall over the weekend, passing just five bills in 12 days. To help us break down that legislation, and what it means for the state, we turn now to KUNR's Paul Boger and Lucia Starbuck, who covered the session in its entirety.