My Story Over 40 percent of active registered voters in Nevada are not Democratic or Republican. Over 30 percent are registered as Non-Partisan, choosing no political party. Among voters 18 to 34 years of age almost 50 percent are registered as Non-Partisan and 55 percent do not belong to either major party (as of March 2024). This is the only segment of registered voters gaining voter share. Voters are growing tired on the partisan rhetoric and lack of solutions. In 2010 I joined this group. It was one of the toughest decisions of my life.
This may sound familiar. This may be your story or you know someone whose story it is. I’ve been politically active my entire adult life, even running for city council in California. As a young adult in the mid-1960’s my first party registration was Democratic. Shortly after joining the military in the late-1970’s I switched to Republican, a registration I held for over 30 years. But it got to a point where none of the political parties represented my views. I knew if I registered as Non-Partisan, I would be voluntarily giving up a right I cherish. However, I felt I had no choice.
By the time I changed my registration, partisanship at all levels of government had taken hold as the driving force behind political decisions. Loyalty to party and to the small yet vocal fringe became more important than finding solutions that worked for all citizens. I knew this had to change. Our elected officials and our government as a whole need to be strongly encouraged to return to the process of governing. In the summer of 2013, as an ever-increasing number of Nevada voters were withdrawing from the process, Nevadans for Election Reform was conceived.
Nevadans for Election Reform Nevada has a problem; the growing hyper-partisan political environment is driving voters away and preventing good governance from taking place. The solution leading up to the 2015 Nevada legislative session was to have the legislature replace the state’s partisan closed primary election system, a system that excluded over 25 percent of registered voters from participating in the process that in most cases determines the winner of the general election, with a system that allows all voters to cast ballots in all publicly funded elections.
Our proposal took the advantages of a primary election system used in California, Washington, Nebraska, and Louisiana where all candidates regardless of party affiliation are listed on a single ballot and all voters vote, with the top-two finishers advancing to the general election (but expanding it to the top three) and combining it with the advantages of a single election process used in several cities called Ranked Choice Voting (RCV) in the general election. The question at this point was how legislators would receive this idea. Thankfully this is Nevada where state legislators will meet with residents regardless if they are constituents or not to discuss ideas that could benefit the state. Between September, 2013 and February, 2015 over two dozen legislators and candidates as well as several advocacy groups were given the details. With a detailed monthly voter registration analysis along with other important information on the growing hyper-partisanship in the United States showing the need for election reform being posted on our blog, we were being taken seriously.
SB 499 The 2015 session of the Nevada legislature began the first week of February, 2015. On the last day for filing bill draft requests (BDR), the Chair of the Senate Legislative Operations and Elections Committee, Senator Patricia Farley (R – Las Vegas)*, filed a BDR for our plan. Because of concerns on Ranked Choice Voting expressed by the Legislative Council Bureau, SB 499 was introduced as a modified Top-Two primary bill without the RCV option. Following a committee hearing, the bill’s original language was stripped; the bill died for that session, and the bill was passed to change the primary election process allowing the winner of a primary to be elected to the office under certain conditions. * Senator Farley changed her party affiliation to Non-Partisan before the start of the 2017 session
2017 and SB 103 The decision was made to try for a bill during the 2017 legislative session. Following many more meetings and continued blog postings, Senator James Settelmeyer (R Minden) filed a BDR for a Top-Two primary just after Thanksgiving, 2016. On February 7, 2017 SB 103 was introduced on the floor of the state senate. The bill was short-lived. The Democratic Party had taken control of the legislature following the 2016 election and their leadership was determined not to let SB 103 proceed. The bill was not given a hearing and died.
There was one major difference between the efforts leading to the 2015 session and the 2017 session, interest of various activist groups in election reform. The campaigns of 2016 were having an impact on peoples’ opinion of the electoral process. Both the Democratic and Republican Party were losing voter share month after month while the percentage of those registered as Non-Partisan or in one of the minor political parties continued to grow. This trend was and continues to be across all demographics; state-wide, Clark County, Washoe County, rural counties, among those 18 to 34 years old and those 55 and older.
The Next Step Two legislative sessions, two bills. The time had come for a ballot initiative. The Greater Choice – Greater Voice initiative was developed and filed with the Nevada secretary of state. The initiative would have implemented a single election using ranked choice voting for all elections; local, state, and federal. Sadly, we were unable to secure the necessary funding so we did not succeed in qualifying the initiative for the ballot.
Moving on We entered the 2019 legislative session with the potential for another bill; a local option bill that would have allowed local governments to implement ranked choice voting. Our sponsor was told by leadership the bill would not advance. There are other opportunities. A major breakthrough will be the possible use of ranked choice voting by the Nevada Democratic Party in the 2020 presidential caucus. This could be a game-changer.* Additionally, we have been successful in adding a provision to a bill that would make turning in an absentee ballot easier and have an amendment ensuring voters, not county commissions decide who represents them if a vacancy should occur. *The state Democratic Party did use RCV in the early voting portion of the caucus.
2021 saw the filing of what became Question 3 on the 2022 general election ballot. Question 3 would implement a top-five nonpartisan open primary and ranked choice voting in the general election. (Question 3 passed with 53% of the vote in 2022 and will be on the ballot again as required by the Nevada Constitution in November 2024)
If you are among the growing number of voters frustrated with the partisanship infecting our political process, believe your vote doesn’t matter, that you don’t have any real choice of candidates, YOU are part of the solution. Click here to add your voice to Nevadans for Election Reform. Volunteer NOW. Donate by clicking on the “Donate” button on the bottom of this page or send a check to the address listed here so voters in Nevada can have a greater choice and a greater voice in their government.
Who am I My name is Doug Goodman. I am the founder and executive director of Nevadans for Election Reform. I moved to Sparks, NV in 2004 from Livermore, CA. I retired from the U.S. Army after 20 years in 1996. In 2011 I fully retired from a career in warehousing and distribution management. I have been politically active since before I could vote (voting age was still 21). I’ve worked campaigns at all levels, served on various governmental boards, and ran for Livermore, CA city council in 2001. I’ve now added election reform advocate and lobbyist to that list.
I am a perpetual optimist. I believe one person and one vote can and does make a difference. I invite you to join Nevadans for Election Reform, to donate, and add your voice to those who make a difference.
