The next deadline for legislators to file Bill Draft Requests (BDR) for the upcoming legislative session is three weeks away, December 10, 2014. Who will be known as the leader that places Nevada at the fore of election reform?
The Las Vegas Valley League of Women Voters says the 2015 Nevada legislature needs to take up election reform and sites the Nevada Election Modernization and Reform Act (NEMRA) as an example.
Randi Thompson, political commentator for the Reno Gazette Journal and Nevada Newsmakers says the Nevada Election Modernization and Reform Act is deserving of further study by the Nevada legislature. (See July 18, 2014; Minority Rules)
Chambers of Commerce have expressed interest but will not take a position until there is a bill introduced.
I doubt there is much, if any disagreement that voter turnout must improve, that confidence in our electoral process must be restored. I’m certain most will agree younger voters and all others who feel left out need to know their views are recognized as valid. I’m sure Republican and Democratic Party leadership would like to reverse the trend of growing Non-Partisan voter registration at their expense. Is there a candidate that would not like to claim a true majority mandate after winning? I highly doubt it. Doing everything possible, regardless how small, to attract jobs to Nevada is a legislative priority. NEMRA provides a positive solution for all these.
Problems are solved only through open and honest discussion. As the League of Women Voters and Randi Thompson urge, the time for Nevada legislators to have this discussion on election reform is the 2015 session starting February 2, 2015. Who will be the legislator known as the leader willing to start the dialog on election reform that will give Nevada the most inclusive voting process in the nation? The next BDR filing deadline is three weeks away, December 10th.