During the 2015 Nevada legislative session, the legislature passed, and the governor signed Senate Bill (SB) 499, changing the way elections where only one major political party (Democratic or Republican) fields candidates for a partisan office.
Prior to SB499, if just one party had candidates, no minor party or Non-Partisan candidates, if only two candidates filed, there would not be a primary for that race. The two candidates would go directly to the general election so all voters could have a voice. If there were three or more, there would be a primary and the top two finishers would advance to the general election, again, so all voters would have a voice.
Under SB499, the candidates, regardless how many, appear on the primary ballot and the winner of the primary advances to the general election UNOPPOSED. In plain terms, the winner of the primary wins the position.
Since primary elections for partisan offices are closed, only voters registered in that party are allowed to vote. In a typical primary, the average turnout is about 23 percent. This means that if the voter share of total voters in the particular district is 35 percent, we can assume that 23 percent of the 35 percent; just eight percent of the voters of that party are voting. If there are more than two candidates, the winner may get under five percent support of party members and far less of the total active registered voters in the district.
This election, there are 18 races where only one party has candidates, three for the legislature and 15 for county commission.
Another area where vote choice is limited is if candidates are unopposed. This cycle there are 17 races.
| Candidate Name | Party | Office | Filing Office |
| SB499 Races | |||
| Tanya Flanagan | Dem | State Assembly District 7 | Clark County |
| James Melvin Fennell | Dem | State Assembly District 7 | Clark County |
| Dina Neal | Dem | State Senate District 4 | Clark County |
| Laura E Perkins | Dem | State Senate District 4 | Clark County |
| John Ellison | Rep | State Senate District 19 | Secretary of State |
| William Eric Hockstedler | Rep | State Senate District 19 | Secretary of State |
| Chelsy Fischer | Rep | State Senate District 19 | Secretary of State |
| Julie Guerrero-Goetsch | Rep | County Commissioner, District 1 | Churchill County |
| Matthew N Hyde | Rep | County Commissioner, District 1 | Churchill County |
| Rusty D. Jardine | Rep | County Commissioner, District 3 | Churchill County |
| Eric Wayne Blakey | Rep | County Commissioner, District 3 | Churchill County |
| Todd Moretto | Rep | County Commissioner, District 3 | Churchill County |
| John B. Caetano | Rep | County Commissioner, District 3 | Churchill County |
| Mark Gardner | Rep | County Commissioner, District 3 | Douglas County |
| Michael J Tanner | Rep | County Commissioner, District 3 | Douglas County |
| Dean Paris | Rep | County Commissioner, District 3 | Douglas County |
| Janet Freixas | Rep | County Commissioner, District 5 | Douglas County |
| Nathan Tolbert | Rep | County Commissioner, District 5 | Douglas County |
| Rex Steninger | Rep | County Commissioner, District 5 | Elko County |
| Christopher Lee Mullins | Rep | County Commissioner, District 5 | Elko County |
| Mary Jane Zakas | Rep | County Commissioner, District 3 | Esmeralda County |
| Edward Mark Hartman | Rep | County Commissioner, District 3 | Esmeralda County |
| Jimmie Buck Davids | Rep | County Commissioner, District 3 | Eureka County |
| Michael A Schoenwald | Rep | County Commissioner, District 3 | Eureka County |
| Paige Lee Brooks | Rep | County Commissioner, Seat B | Humboldt County |
| Crystal Newton | Rep | County Commissioner, Seat B | Humboldt County |
| Varlin Sharp Higbee | Rep | County Commissioner, District C | Lincoln County |
| Lisa Poulsen | Rep | County Commissioner, District C | Lincoln County |
| Hendrix, Tamara Gay | Rep | County Commissioner, District 3 | Lyon County |
| Wooley, Phillip Duane | Rep | County Commissioner, District 3 | Lyon County |
| Beth Borysewich | Rep | County Commissioner District 2 | Nye County |
| Daniel Blackstone | Rep | County Commissioner District 2 | Nye County |
| Salli Kerr | Rep | County Commissioner District 2 | Nye County |
| John Peter Koenig | Rep | County Commissioner District 2 | Nye County |
| Shayla Dawn Hudson | Rep | County Commissioner, Seat A | Pershing County |
| Wendy W Nelsen | Rep | County Commissioner, Seat A | Pershing County |
| Charles Orville Sayles | Rep | County Commissioner, Seat A | Pershing County |
| Lawrence Eugene Rackley | Rep | County Commissioner, Seat B | Pershing County |
| Connie Gottschalk | Rep | County Commissioner, Seat B | Pershing County |
| Donald Gilman | Rep | County Commissioner, District 3 | Storey County |
| Thomas Elden Minkler | Rep | County Commissioner, District 3 | Storey County |
| Pat Robison | Rep | County Commissioner, Seat 3 | White Pine County |
| Scott Romsos | Rep | County Commissioner, Seat 3 | White Pine County |
| Unoppossed | |||
| Erica Mosca | Dem | State Assembly District 14 | Clark County |
| Thaddeus Joseph Yurek III | Rep | State Assembly District 19 | Clark County |
| Melissa Hardy | Rep | State Assembly District 22 | Clark County |
| Danielle Gallant | Rep | State Assembly District 23 | Clark County |
| Reuben D’Silva | Dem | State Assembly District 28 | Clark County |
| Jonathan R Karr | Rep | County Commissioner, District 3 | Elko County |
| Frederic J. Perez | Rep | County Commissioner, District 2 | Esmeralda County |
| Jesse Hill | Rep | County Commissioner, Seat A | Humboldt County |
| Ken Tipton | Rep | County Commissioner, Seat D | Humboldt County |
| Deann Helming | Rep | Commissioner, District 3 | Lander County |
| Diane L. Path | Rep | County Commissioner, District A | Lincoln County |
| Keith A. Pearson | Rep | County Commissioner, District E | Lincoln County |
| Cassinelli, John Scot | Rep | County Commissioner, District 1 | Lyon County |
| Jacobson, Robert Wayne | Rep | County Commissioner, District 4 | Lyon County |
| Melanie Hamilton | Rep | County Recorder-Auditor | Pershing County |
| Bert K Gurr | Rep | State Assembly District 33 | Secretary of State |
| Gregory Scott Koenig | Rep | State Assembly District 38 | Secretary of State |